Tim Ryan, tryan@wolfrivermedia.com
Leader Photo by Scott Williams Roland Genke uses a snowblower to clear his driveway Tuesday on East Green Bay Street in Bonduel, following the area’s first major snowfall of the season.
Leader Photo by Greg Mellis A motorist shovels out early Tuesday morning from a parking lot on Pilgrim Way in Ashwaubenon. More than 11 inches of snow fell in Green Bay in the first major storm of the winter.
Minor accidents and vehicles stuck in the snow were the traditional trademarks of the season’s first winter storm this week, but officials say things went fairly smoothly in spite of the problems.
The Shawano County Sheriff’s Department logged 26 nonreportable accidents, mostly vehicles sliding into ditches or medians, and three accidents that caused some property damage, between 3 p.m. Monday when the snow started flying and 8:30 a.m. Tuesday.
Those figures are lower than the typical number for the first major snowfall of the season, sheriff’s Capt. Tom Tuma said.
“Usually we get 40 to 50,” he said.
Road conditions remained treacherous in spots, Tuma warned.
“You’re dealing with scattered slippery spots and drifting snow,” he said.
Tuma said drivers need to be alert to changing road conditions, especially with the forecast calling for more snow and sleet.
Motorists need to slow down and allow more time to reach their destinations, he said.
Tuma advised keeping an emergency kit in the vehicle, including a blanket and hand-warmers, and keeping the gas tank at least half-full.
Shawano police reported nearly a dozen vehicles that had gotten stuck in the snow in various places around the city, and one semi truck that went into a ditch in the 1400 block of East Green Bay Street.
Even so, things went as well as could be expected with that amount of snow in that short period of time, according to Police Chief Mark Kohl.
The National Weather Service reported 10 inches of snow in Shawano.
“We worked well with the (Department of Public Works) and their plows to hit the major intersections and roadways during the night,” Kohl said. “Officers and DPW workers were in contact during the evening to direct plows to critical areas.”
Public Works Coordinator Eddie Sheppard said the advanced warning of the heavy snowfall allowed time to draft a plan of action for attacking it.
Trucks hit the city’s primary thoroughfares first on Monday evening.
“We wanted to help the commuters get home,” Sheppard said.
Additional crews were sent out around 10 p.m. after the Police Department requested help cleaning up some trouble spots where vehicles had gotten stuck in the snow.
By 2 a.m., all crews were on the road and plowed until about 10 a.m. Tuesday.
“Trucks are still cleaning up, but we’re letting the salt and sand do their work,” Sheppard said.
Sheppard said there were a few inches less snow than expected, and the ice and sleet didn’t materialize.
“It was just snow, so that it made it easier to handle,” he said.
Shawano County highway crews, meanwhile, were on the roads from 4-10:30 p.m., with a skeleton crew plowing from midnight to 2 a.m., when the rest of the trucks returned.
“The main challenge was the wind and blowing snow,” Highway Commissioner Grant Bystol said.“Traffic stayed off the road, so that allowed us to do our job.”
By Tuesday afternoon, all state and county roads were in good winter driving conditions, according to Bystol.
He echoed Tuma’s comments that winter driving conditions still means motorists have to use caution and be on the lookout for slippery patches.