With the cold weather settling back into Swift Current and bringing with it a fresh batch of snow, there are some expected questions as to how it all gets tidied up.

The City of Swift Current has snow removal teams that work together to clear the snow, remove it, and sand the roads to help with the more slippery sections around town. 

The man in charge of all those teams is the General Manager of Infrastructure and Operations for the City of Swift Current, Mitch Minken.

"It's not really super productive to be going and doing cleanup when [snow is still] blowing in," said Minken. "So we usually wait for it to subside, so we're not backtracking over ourselves."

Once the snowfall stops, teams can begin to excavate the roadways from their chilly covering. There is a road map that determines the most prioritized areas for when they do set out, with the downtown area being a key fixture. 

"That's on our website, the map that determines where we go first," offered Minken. "Basically, we're working on the main connectors and main arteries of the city, as well as school zones to make sure that we keep things moving."

Usually, the day begins in the early hours, before most folks get up. A good day of cleanup for Swift Current snow crews can take over 24 hours of non-stop work to help get roadways back to standard. 

With this morning and yesterday's snow, Minken is ready for another long bout of cleanup and wintertime management. 

"It was one of those storms again, with a northwest wind blowing in a whole bunch of snow," said Minken. "We were out to open things up as the wind subsided a bit and the storm came to an end."

If you come across a road that looks fairly gnarly with snow, it may be best to consider avoiding that route until the crews have a chance to clear the way.

Before taking any long trips today on any highways, be sure to check the Highway Hotline for updates and to be sure there aren't any delays along the way.