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CLEVELAND (WJW) – Drivers rushed to fill up their tanks Tuesday night ahead of the first
significant snow event of the season.

At the same time, ODOT plow truck drivers got ready to roll out of the Cleveland facility.

“With it being raining starting out, they can’t pretreat the road. It would just be washed off,” said Brent Kovacs, District 12 spokesperson.

ODOT said drivers plan to work 12-hour shifts.

“As it starts to transition from rain to snow, we will be out there salting first. The areas with lake effect, we will be plowing it off the roads,” said Kovacs.

ODOT is reminding people to give the trucks room to work. Over 60 trucks were struck last winter.

“We have the brightest lights you will see on the highway but for some reason folks hit them and it’s mainly vehicles trying to pass them,” said Kovacs.

ODOT’s goal is to have primary routes back up to speed within two hours and secondary routes within four hours of the end of a snow event.