London's Public Works Department successfully navigated a challenging winter storm last week by implementing a comprehensive snow and ice management strategy that kept major roads passable despite hazardous conditions.The city f aced snow and freezing rain, creating slick, dangerous road conditions throughout the area. However, weeks of advance planning helped to minimize the storm's impact on local transportation."We don't want to fail. We don't want to fail the city," said Phillip Rawlings, London's public works director.Rawlings explained that preparation began well before the storm arrived, with the city purchasing road salt to fill two storage bins. The department developed a pre-treatment plan while monitoring weather conditions closely."We made a plan to start pre-treatment, but we were waiting to see if it was gonna be rain because if it rains, it tends to wash it off," Rawlings said.Once snow began falling, crews immediately began salting priority areas, including hills, main roads, and intersections with stop signs. The operation required constant adaptation as weather conditions evolved."After that, it was kind of a change on the fly, change as you go. The weather slowly started to change, you know, I think we went to sleet," Rawlings said.The city deployed five of its six available trucks for salting and plowing operations, running two crews in 12-hour shifts. The sixth truck remained in reserve as a backup option."Cause you have to allow for breakdowns. If you have a piece of equipment that goes down, then that puts you at the mercy, and you can get overwhelmed really fast," Rawlings said.Rawlings credited his team's effectiveness to their specialized training through the University of Kentucky's Transportation Cabinet Training through the Master Scholar program. This preparation proved valuable when crews needed to adapt their approach as conditions changed.The city has already begun evaluating its response to identify improvements for future storms, recognizing that flexibility remains crucial to effective winter weather management."We do have a plan, but you know that can change in a minute, and you have to deviate from the plan," Rawlings said.Community cooperation played a significant role in the operation's success, with residents heeding warnings to stay off roads when possible. This reduced traffic and allowed crews to work more effectively."I think the biggest thing is just communication, you know, getting the word out. Asking people to respond and you know having compassion for each other, and you're fellow people and neighbors and things like that," Rawlings said.The successful storm response demonstrates London's commitment to maintaining safe road conditions while highlighting the importance of advance planning, equipment readiness, and community cooperation during winter weather events. ...read more read less