Ramsey County plow teams prepared and ready to clear snow
Ramsey County, Minnesota, snowplow crews say they were officially activated on Tuesday night. Crews were expected to clear more than 1,000 county lane miles.
They've been watching closely, waiting for the rain to switch to snow. That shift is the cue plow drivers have been waiting for.
County officials say preparation began months ago with crews mounting equipment onto the trucks and running equipment checks to make sure nothing fails during the first snowfall.
When crews roll out, they hit high-traffic areas, then bridges and overpasses and spots that get slick much faster.
To keep roads safe from the start, crews salt them before snow starts accumulating.
"Let it rain. Once it snows, that is when you can get out there," said Scott Kofoed, Ramsey County heavy equipment operator.
Kofoed has been a plow driver for the county for more than two decades and says the hardest part of his job is impatient drivers.
"Just give us space. Let us do our job," he said.
Officials say crowding a plow can create dangerous situations and slow down clearing.