OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) – With winter right around the corner, Oklahoma City Public Works Emergency Operations crews are making sure they’re ready to clear ice and snow off of the city’s roads. 

“It’s not a last-minute thing,” said Public Works Emergency Operations Manager Mike Love Jr. “We want to be ready for what’s coming, not hope for the best.” 

Love Jr. said crews are doing training to get familiar with what to expect this winter and ensuring that all of their equipment is working properly. 

Workers in yellow shirts preparing for Oklahoma City's winter.
Oklahoma City winter preparation. Image KFOR.
City of Oklahoma City truck. Image KFOR.
Oklahoma City winter preparation. Image KFOR.
Workers in yellow shirts preparing for Oklahoma City's winter.
Oklahoma City winter preparation. Image KFOR.

“They’re loading trucks right now to make sure the hydraulic works, all the spinner operations work,” said Love Jr. “They’re loading trucks right now to make sure the hydraulic works, all the spinner operations work.”

He said they do this long before the winter weather hits, so if equipment isn’t working, they have time to replace it. 

This week crews are also going through snowplow training. 

While salt is “number one” for keeping roads safe, Public Works also plans to use a beet juice mixture again this year. 

Salt for winter preparation. Image KFOR.
Salt for winter preparation. Image KFOR.
Salt for winter preparation. Image KFOR.
Salt for winter preparation. Image KFOR.

“All of the preliminaries that we’ve gone through have said that it’s viable for us,” said Love Jr. “Salt does have a point where it doesn’t work…. Beet juice works past that. It keeps breaking down the ice when salt doesn’t work on its own.”

A link to an interactive map of the city’s snow routes, plus tips for making sure you’re prepared for winter weather can be found here.