Dealing With Icy Roads And School Closings

I spoke with Paw Paw Schools Superintendent, Tony Habra about how they made the decision to close.For Paw Paw residents, it started with a phone call they received after 5:15 am informing them that schools would be closed today.

When I spoke to Mr. Habra about what factors go into the decision because there was only about three inches of snow on the ground. He informed me that it all starts close to 4am when the area transportation directors hit the roads to check conditions. Followed by other staff members that drive from the East and West checking road conditions as they go. Add that to the rain received before the snow, cold temperatures and more severe weather expected during the day and the safety of the children, they make the decision to open or close. When they decide to close, a robo call goes out to parents informing them of the decision.

You may think "it's only a couple inches, why close?"

According to MDOT, the icy roads are not always easy to clear because of the below freezing temperatures. Salt on the roads takes longer to work below 20 degrees and the water can refreeze causing even worse conditions.