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The New York State Department of Transportation (NYSDOT) announced on Tuesday (December 30) that it has plowed and salted more than 7,000 lane miles of roads in Onondaga County within the last 24 hours. This effort comes in response to heavy lake-effect snowfall affecting parts of Central New York. A "lane mile" refers to the length of the roadway multiplied by the number of lanes.
NYSDOT crews are operating in 12-hour shifts, with one shift working from midnight to noon and the other from noon to midnight. Despite the challenging weather conditions, the department has not encountered any roads too dangerous to plow. A spokesperson for the NYSDOT stated, "NYSDOT plow drivers are fully engaged in snow and ice operations for this storm." The department has also been training new employees by shifting operators during weather events.
The ongoing snowstorm has not affected progress on the I-81 Viaduct project, according to the NYSDOT. Meanwhile, Syracuse officials are urging residents to clear fire hydrants and move vehicles off roads to facilitate snow removal efforts.
For more details on the weather forecast, tune to NewsRadio 570 WSYR.