ICE STORM: Des Moines Crews Prepared | News

Des Moines crews began preparing for the storm last week.  Once ice started to form on the roads this morning, they spread out covering a more than 200-mile area in the city.

“We knew once it started to tighten up, in other words start to get a glaze on it, we’d have to hit it with some de-icing,” says Des Moines Public Works Director Pat Kozitza.

The city’s fleet of about 25 trucks hit the streets before sunrise spreading about 500 tons of salt.

“We went with straight salt and all the main roads are in good driving condition for this type of storm,” he says.

While the main routes are in pretty good shape, the side streets are still slippery.

“We were on our way to church and she called me and said I’m stuck,” says T. Harley.

Harley came to the rescue in Sherman Hill. 

“So his salt, them pushing, me driving, we got her out finally,” says Harley.

Homeowners went to work trying to melt the ice to avoid any slips and falls.

“The salt works pretty good.  At least it gives you some traction,” says Ed Lindell.

Between the preparation and the actual storm, Kozitza says a weather event like this costs the city about $100,000.