Winter operations picked up for the Starke County Highway Department last month. Superintendent Rik Ritzler told the county commissioners they had five snow events in March. The most significant occurred on March 15th, with up to 11 inches of snow recorded in a few areas of the county.
Ritzler says it started falling in the early hours of the morning, and drivers began plowing around 4 a.m. The snow continued all day, and some areas got an additional five or six inches after they were already plowed. He says each route takes between five and eight hours to clear, so the department is lucky to get two passes in a 12 hour shift.
Had the snow started the previous night and stopped in the morning, Ritzler says the roads would have been more passable in time for morning commutes.
Overall Starke County has had a mild winter. Ritzler will have season totals for the commissioners next month.
