Shoveling your driveway? ODOT has some recommendations

Credit: Bill Lackey

Credit: Bill Lackey

The Ohio Department of Transportation has asked that anyone shoveling their driveway take precautions to avoid creating issues for plow crews.

As more snow is expected tonight and tomorrow in the Miami Valley, ODOT crews will work 12-hour shifts to plow and treat highway systems, a release said. ODOT asks that if you plan to shovel your driveway, to pile snow away from the entry or right-of-way of your driveway, which can prevent sight distance issues.

Snow in the driveway entrance can also create icy pavement, especially as thawing occurs. Snow may block pipes, ditches and catch basins, which causes water onto roadways, which may leave them slippery, ODOT said.

ODOT suggests piling snow to the right of your driveway so the blade of the snowplow has a place to go. ODOT also reported that this will prevent plowing a driveway shut.

Snowfall will be 1 to 3 inches through tomorrow night for the region, with higher amounts possible for Butler and Warren counties that are part of a weather advisory. Temperatures will be around 18 degrees tonight, with total overnight snow accumulation of less than 1 inch possible, the National Weather Service said.

Snow is expected mainly after 2 p.m. Thursday, which will be cloudy with a high near 29 degrees. New snow accumulation of around an inch is possible. Thursday night, which will be mostly cloudy with snow mainly before 9 p.m. New snow accumulation of less than ½ inch is possible. Overnight low temperatures will fall to around 15 degrees.

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