With the unseasonably mild weather in December, it's easy to forget that in late February and early March of last year, severe ice and snow storms closed schools and forced City Street crews into overtime applying salt and plowing snow.

The City of Murfreesboro is stocked and ready to clear streets of ice and snow again this winter season. The City Street Division recently received 850 tons of salt and have readied snow plows and trucks for the winter season. The salt is stockpiled at the Solid Waste facility located at 4765 Florence Rd.

"We have 24 employees who are trained in snow and ice removal, and they are ready to mobilize when winter weather hits the City," said City Manager Rob Lyons. "Clearing our streets as quickly as possible is essential in our efforts to keep motorists safe and keep traffic moving."

During periods of ice and snowstorms, six dump trucks equipped with snow plows and salt spreaders are used to clear the roads. The Street Division maintains a materials storage yard with a stockpile of salt each year. The City currently has a total stockpile of 900 tons of salt.

"As always, we hope that we don't have to use the snow plows this winter," said City Streets Division Director Raymond Hillis. "But last winter is a prime example of why the City needs to be prepared for the worst if it happens."

The City's 2015-16 winter weather budget is approximately $60,000, and includes salt, overtime for employees, and equipment maintenance. Salt is applied to streets once snow has started to accumulate.

The Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) is responsible for maintaining and clearing interstates and state routes, including I-24 and SR840 in Rutherford County. Travel conditions are provided by the department through several information tools.

For interactive roadway maps, motorists can visit the TDOT Smartway website at www.TNSmartway.com/traffic. Travelers can also access TN-511 for travel information by dialing from any landline or cellular phone or following 511 on Twitter at www.twitter.com/TN511 (statewide) or www.twitter.com/Nashville511 (Nashville area).

TDOT and the Tennessee Department of Safety and Homeland Security remind drivers when there's Ice and Snow: Take it Slow. Stranded motorists can dial *THP (*847) from any cellular phone if they are in need of assistance on a busy interstate. Citizens should call 911 for emergency situations.

For more information on TDOT's "Snow and Ice Facts," visit http://www.tn.gov/tdot/topic/ice-snow.