The City of Wichita is getting ready for winter operations to clear the major streets during snow and ice storms.
Mayor Brandon Whipple said during his weekly news briefing that the city is above minimum staffing with 156 drivers, but the city is looking for people with commercial drivers licenses who would be interested in helping with the snow response efforts. He said the city has eight brine trucks for pre-treatment of the streets, 60 plow trucks, and three dispatch locations.
The mayor said the city has 6,000 tons of salt and sand mix that is ready for use, but there is also a supply of 17,500 tons of salt that can be used to create an additional supply of 35,000 tons of salt and sand mix. He said the city prepares for winter by stocking up on salt and sand, training employees and providing regular maintenance for the plow trucks.
When a winter storm hits, the city will focus on 1,500 lane miles of major streets and emergency routes, especially the streets that serve hospitals, emergency facilities and schools. The next priority is to focus on 300 lane miles of secondary arterial streets and streets that serve schools.
Whipple said the city does not provide treatment or clearing for the state and federal highways, such as K-96 and the interstates. Kansas Department of Transportation crews will be working on those roadways.
People will be able to follow the progress of winter operations on Twitter or the city’s web page at www.wichita.gov
