DPW talks road conditions after first snowstorm of the year INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Do you know which agency is in charge of plowing your road? It all depends on the type of road you live on. City street departments like Indy DPW handle main and side streets within city limits named “Street,” “Lane,” etc. that are not also designated as state and federal roads. County highway departments handle roads outside incorporated areas, like Baseline Road, County Line Road, and County Road West 200 East. The Indiana Department of Transportation handles interstates, federal highways (U.S. 31), and state highways (State Road 37). INDOT At the top of the snow clearing food chain is the Indiana Department of Transportation, which can deploy more than 1,000 snow plows and up to 2,000 drivers, mechanics, clerks, and managers before winter weather strikes. Teams work alternating 12-hour shifts in their yellow trucks to keep more than 29,000 miles of interstate highways, U.S. routes, and state roads in Indiana as safe as possible. They’re in charge of pre-treating highways with salt brine before a storm, plowing the snow and ice from the pavement during the storm, and de-icing roadways using various chlorides. During winter storms, INDOT plows every 2 to 3 hours with salt helping melt the snow in between passes. Click here to find out more about INDOT’s winter ops. Indy DPW Indy DPW takes care of snow and ice removal throughout the city of Indianapolis. It’s responsible for about 4,000 miles of thoroughfares and secondary streets in Marion County, as well as the ADA-accessible ramps within the Mile Square. There’s a hierarchy to which areas get plowed first: First up are major thoroughfares used by first responders and the largest amount of Indy commuters. Examples: Keystone Avenue, Fall Creek Parkway, and Washington Street. Next are the secondary streets. These roads connect major city streets to residential streets and other less-traveled roadways. Examples: Ditch Road, Mitthoeffer Road, Southeastern Avenue. After the major thoroughfares and secondary streets are clear, Indy Snow Force crews will turn to residential areas. In the past, Indy DPW only sent plows out after six inches of snow had fallen. Its new policy uses a network of “Connector” streets. These streets link neighborhoods and residential areas to the secondary streets and thoroughfares that have already been plowed by Indy DPW Snow Force. Indy Snow Force is activated at this time. Click here to check the Indy Snow Force Viewer and see which streets are being plowed in real time. Here’s a look at the Indy DPW Snow Routes and Connectors map: fc5e1325684c4e288a2c6095b971c5b1Download