WAYNE COUNTY, Mich. – As Metro Detroit braces for snow and freezing rain overnight Tuesday, Wayne County officials are mobilizing their winter weather response.
More than 150 salt truck drivers are preparing to tackle over 100 routes across Wayne County, with a strategic focus on high-priority areas.
“We focus on those high-speed, high-density roadways, freeways, state trunklines, main county roads,” said Scott Cabauatan, Deputy Director of Wayne County Public Services Department. “Then we’ll work into the ancillary roads as far as county roads that don’t have as much travel, state roads that don’t have as much travel.”
Drivers are reminded of Michigan’s relatively new law, enacted in 2024, requiring vehicles to maintain a 200-foot distance from operating salt trucks.
“Give us some time, pack some patience tomorrow, and again don’t crowd that plow,” Cabauatan said. “Give us 200 feet, it is a law.”
The Public Services Department is also warning homeowners about proper snow removal practices.
Property owners should avoid shoveling or blowing snow onto public roadways; instead, they should keep it on their own property.
“Especially this kind of snow, it can have a tendency to pack really well,” Cabauatan said. “You leave those trails out in the roadway; somebody can hit it and cause an accident, or it can damage our equipment if it refreezes.”
The incoming snow prompted school districts across Metro Detroit to cancel classes on Wednesday (Dec. 10).