NORTHEAST INDIANA – Indiana Department of Transportation crews will begin preparing for the winter months with pre-winter inspections next month. During the month of October, INDOT inspectors will travel to each of the Fort Wayne District’s 14 units to perform the annual inspection of snow and ice equipment.
During the inspections, INDOT’s yellow trucks undergo a full bumper-to-bumper examination and inspectors look for mechanical defects in need of repair. Special attention is paid to the trucks’ steering, engine and brakes. Any problems are noted and addressed by INDOT mechanics prior to the first snow or ice event.
The preventative maintenance is an important way INDOT prepares for the winter months. Plow drivers also take part in mandatory snow and ice training each year, and most are already familiarizing themselves with their snow routes. INDOT Fort Wayne District is responsible for 140 snow routes in 17 counties in Northeast Indiana, maintaining 4,799 lane miles of roadway, 525 lane miles of interstate and 742 state bridges.
For media interested in attending an inspection, contact Nichole Thomas at 260-969-8219 for schedule. Inspections are planned for the following dates:
Wednesday, Oct. 5: Shipshewana Unit and Brimfield Unit
Thursday, Oct. 6: Warsaw Unit and Laud Unit
Friday, Oct. 7: Elkhart Unit
Tuesday, Oct. 11: Peru Unit and Wabash Unit
Wednesday, Oct. 12: Monroe Unit and New Haven Unit
Friday, Oct. 14: Angola Unit and Waterloo Unit
Monday, Oct. 17: Fort Wayne Unit
Tuesday, Oct. 18: Gas City Unit and Bluffton Unit
