Washington County maintenance crews are looking forward to spring after the recent winter storm.

Washington County Engineer Jacob Thorius says plow crews were working on and off from about 7 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday to clear the eight paved routes, “Tough for us on Saturday, just trying to figure out the timing of when to go out and get our resources out and in the right spot, just because of what fell overnight and then what was continuing to fall during the day and the wind was blowing and then the forecast for what was supposed to keep falling during the day. It took a little work but we got out there and things seemed to clear off just fine.”

Crews had to avoid fallen power lines in Wellman, and Thorius says they took a gamble by not plowing the gravel routes, as the snowfall wasn’t significant enough and the ground has begun to thaw. Thorius didn’t want to potentially tear up those roads with the motor graders. None of the county’s salt was used to clear roads, and Thorius estimates maintenance employees used about five hours of overtime. Crews are beginning to fill potholes and start work to repair roads for the spring.