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'Full staffing event': Milwaukee road crews preparing for Saturday snow

Milwaukee Department of Public Works crews are expecting to tackle up to six inches of snow Saturday.

'Full staffing event': Milwaukee road crews preparing for Saturday snow

Milwaukee Department of Public Works crews are expecting to tackle up to six inches of snow Saturday.

A LONG WEEKEND. 12 NEWS’ CAROLINE REINWALD IS LIVE IN MILWAUKEE. CAROLINE, CAROLINE: ROADS PRE TREATED -- WITH SALT AND BRINE, BUT THEY WILL BE OUT THIS WEEKEND IN FULL FORCE. THIS WEEKEND. >> YOU EXCITED ABOUT IT TOMORROW? >> WE’RE ALWAYS READY. I DONT KNOW ABOUT EXCITED. >> A WORK WEEKEND FOR MILWAUKEE ROAD CREWS. >> YEAH THEY’RE SAYING 4-6 INCHES. WE’LL TAKE THE LESSER AMOUNT. >> 100 TRUCKS, 12-HOUR SHIFTS, DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC WORKS EMPLOYEES WILL PLOW AND TREAT 7,000 LANE MILES OF ROADWAYS. THEIR SALT SUPPLY LOADED. AND 24,000 GALLON BRINE TANKS READY TO GO. HITTING THE MAIN ROADS FIRST. >> WE TRY TO GET THE STREETS IN -- AS SAFE AS POSSIBLE IN A TIMELY FASHION. THE MAINS CAN TAKE ANYWHERE BETWEEN TWO TO THREE HOURS, DEPENDING ON IF IT’S A NORMAL OPERATION. >> PRIVATE SNOW REMOVAL COMPANIES. >> I’VE GOT THREE SCHOOLS, BUNCH OF CONDOS PROBABLY ABOUT 50 PLACES. >> WELCOMING SATURDAY’S STORM. >> WE’LL START PROBABLY AROUND 11 AND GO ALL NIGHT. TAKE A NAP AND GET BACK AT IT. >> IS IT KIND OF NICE TO KNOW YOU’RE GOING TO HAVE SNOW TO WORK WITH NOW? SINCE WE’VE BEEN WITHOUT IT SO LONG? >> YEAH IT’S BEEN A CRAPPY WINTER. HARDLY ANY SNOW. JUST A FEW SALT RUNS BASICALLY. >> GEARING UP FOR A PROFITABLE , BUSY WINTER WEEKEND. JOYCE: CAROLINE, YOU MENTIONED 7,000 LANE MILES MILWAUKEE CREWS NEED TO TREAT? WHAT ARE THOSE? CAROLINE: RIGHT, 7,000 MILES OF LANES, DEPENDING ON HOW MANY LANES A ROAD HAS. THAT IS INTERESTING COMPARED TO OTHER MUNICIPALITIES. WAUKESHA SAYS IT’S CREWS HAVE JUST OVER 1,000 LANE MILES TO TREAT, AND ARE WORKING WITH HALF THE NUMBER OF TRUCKS SO THEIR CREWS ARE WORKING MUCH LONGE
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'Full staffing event': Milwaukee road crews preparing for Saturday snow

Milwaukee Department of Public Works crews are expecting to tackle up to six inches of snow Saturday.

Milwaukee Department of Public Works crews said they'll be out in full force this weekend, clearing and treating roadways. Experts are expecting anywhere between three to six inches of snow on Saturday in the metro Milwaukee area. DPW said its crews will be working 12-hour shifts, clearing and treating 7,000 miles of street lanes with a salt and brine mixture. "We try to get the streets as safe as possible in a timely fashion. The mains can take anywhere between two to three hours, depending on if it's a normal operation," said Jeff Smith, sanitation area manager for Milwaukee DPW. "As we get into side streets, those can take longer, based on the inches of snow given to us."Smith said crews will be able to clear the roads quicker with less traffic and urged drivers to stay home, if possible. "Hopefully it'll be a mild one to two-inch storm. Hopefully not six to seven, anything of that nature," Smith said. For private snow removal companies, this weekend's snow will be profitable. Craig Beckett with Ray's Lawn Service was salting private parking lots on Friday. "It's been a crappy winter. Hardly any snow. Just a few salt runs, basically," Beckett said. "I'm excited. I've got three schools, a bunch of condos, probably about 50 places (to handle.)"

Milwaukee Department of Public Works crews said they'll be out in full force this weekend, clearing and treating roadways.

Experts are expecting anywhere between three to six inches of snow on Saturday in the metro Milwaukee area.

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DPW said its crews will be working 12-hour shifts, clearing and treating 7,000 miles of street lanes with a salt and brine mixture.

"We try to get the streets as safe as possible in a timely fashion. The mains can take anywhere between two to three hours, depending on if it's a normal operation," said Jeff Smith, sanitation area manager for Milwaukee DPW. "As we get into side streets, those can take longer, based on the inches of snow given to us."

Smith said crews will be able to clear the roads quicker with less traffic and urged drivers to stay home, if possible.

"Hopefully it'll be a mild one to two-inch storm. Hopefully not six to seven, anything of that nature," Smith said.

For private snow removal companies, this weekend's snow will be profitable.

Craig Beckett with Ray's Lawn Service was salting private parking lots on Friday.

"It's been a crappy winter. Hardly any snow. Just a few salt runs, basically," Beckett said. "I'm excited. I've got three schools, a bunch of condos, probably about 50 places (to handle.)"