Snow plow on Highway 169 north of Adel; photo courtesy of Iowa DOT

Following the latest snow event of the winter, road crews in Dallas County are working hard to make sure travellers are able to drive safely in the conditions.

According to the Iowa Department of Transportation, each of the state highways through the County are currently under seasonal conditions, and the tow ban has been lifted. As for local roads, Dallas County Engineer Al Miller says their work on clearing secondary roads has been going well. Crews have been over all paved routes, though he estimates that around 80% of them are still at least partially covered with snow. Miller adds that the snow is breaking up and melting at a decent pace, so he’s hopeful all paved roads will be cleared this afternoon. However, he can’t guarantee the gravel roads will be completely cleared by the end of the day. That should be compounded by possible high winds into the evening.

Meanwhile, the Perry Public Works Department has been working hard since this morning, with Director Jack Butler telling Raccoon Valley Radio that they’ve made good progress since the snow stopped falling. Crews were able to clear the centers of City streets right away and have since worked on plowing from curb to curb. Butler adds, they are using a large snow blower to shoot snow into a dump truck to help alleviate issues with plow trucks trying to push snow up and away from the curb.

Both Miller and Butler remind motorists to exercise caution and be patient when driving during winter weather events like this, especially when you come across a plow. Keep listening to Raccoon Valley Radio for updates on road conditions, as well as the latest cancellation and delay information.