Related video: Inside the City of Colorado Springs Snow School

(COLORADO SPRINGS) — As the colder months move in, the City of Colorado Springs is gearing up for winter, and explained how workers are doing so in the latest episode of ‘Behind the Springs.’

In the podcast titled “Ready for Snow,” Jen Schreuder with City Communications spoke with Clint Brown, Streets Operations Manager, who explained how the City prioritizes which roads are plowed first and the responsibilities of those behind the wheel.

According to Brown, the department represents over 200 employees, and its number one priority is snow removal. He said snow managers will monitor the weather patterns, and when snow is in the forecast, preps are done in advance.

He added that the number of trucks called out depends on the size of the storm or what’s expected. “For a typical full callout… that will be around 50 trucks.”

He said callouts can also be increased if the storm is more widespread. “You can have snow in one section of the City and it can be sunny and pretty in another,” Brown added.

When asked which roads are plowed first and why, Brown had a simple answer: “We are always looking at primaries and secondaries.”

Primaries include main roads like Academy and Union Boulevards and Woodmen Road. Secondaries include “…school access and collector streets that serve as the main connections between neighborhoods and primary roads,” according to the City.

“We only move into residential areas if there are over six inches of snow,” he added.

Brown further explained that a common misconception is that I-25, Powers Boulevard, and Highways 24 and 115 are plowed by the City, when in actuality, they are cleared by the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT).

“Sometimes we will do minor things and integrate with CDOT… and El Paso County also has responsibilities that intermix with the City [too],” he said.

The main message Brown had for drivers is to give snow plows space and to be patient.

“For seven months out of the year, these employees are on call, at a moment’s notice,” Brown added. “When winter weather is coming in, they are paged, have an hour to respond, and have to get ready for 12-hour shifts until the storm is finished.”

Brown explained that while snow removal is a priority, road maintenance in the Pikes Peak Region can be a challenge year-round. “We get a lot of freezing and thawing, and that results in roads that are constantly moving and fluctuating, which allows water to penetrate cracks and creates problems.”

He added that rapid growth in Colorado Springs, coupled with added lane miles, presents another challenge its crews continue to navigate.

Brown said citizens should continue to report road conditions in their area through the GoCOS! app, as its crews continue to address the community’s concerns.

“Remember the people that are working for you, they care about what they do, and they are trying to serve you, the citizens of our City.” Brown also encouraged citizens to sign up for Peak Alerts to stay informed.

To watch the full podcast, click on the link above.