Ready for winter

Highway department gearing up for the cold.

by Kevin Lilly

The Cass County Highway Department recently released its winter weather plan, which included priority road designations.

The priority road list sets out what roads would be treated first in the event of heavy snow or ice. Superintendent Steve Easley explained why the plan is important to have established going into the cold-weather months.

“Those priority roads are intended to get people in the county back to a main highway,” Easley said.

So, in the event of a winter storm that makes travel difficult, plow truck drivers would target the priority roads throughout the county in order clear paths to highways cared for by the Indiana Department of Transportation and/or the streets handled by the Logansport Street Department.

Once the priority roads are cleared, the drivers then go back to get the remaining county roads.

At the request of the Cass County commissioners, Easley and his staff created the list last year after consulting the sheriff’s department, 911 dispatch and schools.

Drivers plowing the routes suggested a few changes that will be implemented this winter. For example, the highway department added the routes of Water Street from Kiesling Road to Logansport city limits and 200E from 400S to 1250S.

The highway department is adding features to its Web site. Already available is a list of road closures. Easley hopes to have a map detailing the priority routes posted to the site within the next week.

Residents with concerns about road issues can now contact Easley directly through the Web page. He intends to respond to each e-mail to let the person know what, if anything, will be done regarding the matter.

In other winter preparations, Easley is relieved not to have a salt shortage this year. The county requested 875 tons, which the superintendent expects will be adequate.

“Unless we have repeated major snow events, we think we’re in pretty good shape,” Easley said.

So far, the highway department has received 300 tons of salt, which has been mixed with sand. The county will also use an additive that helps break up ice.

Last winter, the area experienced two ice storms that crippled travel. Easley wanted residents to know that the ice is as treacherous for county trucks as any other vehicle. One county truck rolled last year after sliding off a slick road.

“The difference between snow and ice is night and day,” said Easley, who asked for the public’s patience in icy weather situations.

As for the first couple of snows, people should heed the dangers of slick roads, something they may have forgotten about over the warm months.

“People just need to slow down and adjust to the weather conditions,” Easley said.



Plan online

In the coming weeks, the Cass County Highway Department plans to continue adding features to its Web page, such as road closures and weather emergency situations. To access the information, go to the county’s Web site at www.co.cass.in.us, click on the link for departments and scroll down to the highway department link.



Winter weather plan

The Cass County Highway Department has established priority road designations:

• Adjacent to Logansport

Logansport Road from Longtree Lane to 1100E

West Market Street from Bates Street to U.S. 35 bypass

Burlington Avenue from Clinton Street to U.S. 35/Ind. 29

High Street/Division Road from city limit to 600E

Perrysburg Road/350E from Davis Road to 150N

300E from Perrysburg Road to 450E

Davis Road from Logansport to 200N

All of Chase Road

Marleton Road/Tomlinson Drive from East Market Street to city limit

All of Pottawattomie Road

18th Street from bridge south to railroad crossing

100N from Ind. 25 north to Davis Road

Kiesling Road from West Market Street to Delaware Road to U.S. 35

Water Street from Kiesling Road to Logansport city limit

Northern Avenue from 50E to Royal Center Pike

250S from U.S. 35 to Tyson Foods plant

125W from 250S to 300S

Royal Center Pike from Logansport to U.S. 35



• North/northwest quadrant

Royal Center Pike from 100N to 1000N

525W from Ind. 16 west to 1000N

250N/200N from 1100W to U.S. 35

400N from 1100W to Ind. 17

1000W from 200S to 575N

600W/625W from U.S. 35 to U.S. 24

900N from 1050W to 325E

800W/825W from Lake Cicott to 650N

200N from Ind. 17 north to U.S. 35

Delaware Road/350W from Logansport to U.S. 35

Indiana Creek Road from Logansport to 400N

200W from 400N to Ind. 16

150W/175W from Ind. 16 -- Lucerne to 1000N

350W/300W between Ind. 16 and 1000N

325E between Ind. 25 and 1000N

100E/50E from 1000N to Logansport

600N from Ind. 25 to 450W

450W from Royal Center Pike to Ind. 16



• East/northeast quadrant

450E/425N/450N/800E from High Street to 1000N

450N from 800E to 1100E

200N between 450E and Ind. 17

600E from Ind. 16 to 1000N

600E between 425N and Ind. 16

900E between 450N and 1000N

900N/875N from 1100E to Ind. 25

925E/975E and 1000E between 450N and U.S. 24

300N/575E between 925E and 150N

100N between 600E and 1100E

150N from 300E to 600E

75N from 350E to 550E

550E from 75N to 150N

275E from 200N to 375N

375N/350N from 450E to Ind. 17



• South/southeast quadrant

600E from Ind. 218 to 150N

275S/250S from 600E to 1100E

700E between U.S. 24 to 1400S

500E from Ind. 18 to U.S. 35

500S from 800W to 1100E

150E and 200E from U.S. 35/U.S. 24 to Young America

1000E from Galveston to Ind. 218

1000E from U.S. 35 to 1400S

900S to 100E to 850S

50E/100E from Logansport to Young America

1400S from Young America to 1100E

150E from U.S. 35/24 to 400S

200E from 400S to 1250S

400S from 200E to Ind. 25



• West/southwest quadrant

300S and 325S from 200E to 800W

275W from Ind. 25 to 225S

325W from Ind. 25 to 300S

South West River Road/675W/700W from Logansport to 500S

150S from 1000W to Georgetown Road

Georgetown Road from Georgetown to U.S. 24

400W from U.S. 24 to 150N

150N from 500W to Indian Creek Road

800W from 200S to U.S. 24



Kevin Lilly is news editor of the Pharos-Tribune. He can be reached at 574-732-5117 or kevin.lilly@pharostribune.com.

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