An Open Letter To MI Snow Removal Workers: Thank You All

Whether you're out there clearing highways, driveways or anything in between, we appreciate you more than you know!

I know people just like to complain and I'm sure you've heard them complain about various things that are part of your job but those people just momentarily forget they can't make it through a winter here in Michigan without you.

As someone who trusts my abilities driving in the snow, having lived in Michigan my whole life, I still get major anxiety when the roads are bad but seeing you out and about makes me know that someone cares about us and our safety.

That goes for the salt trucks on the highways, the big plows, the "little guys" doing side roads or more residential areas, the people who plow parking lots for countless businesses and even more I know are out there working so hard.

It's incredible how quickly you get the mess winter leaves for us cleaned up. I go on and on about how I rarely have a "scary ride in" from Jackson to Lansing and that is all thanks to those who work to clear the roads. So an extra little personal shoutout to the Ingham and Jackson County Road Commissions

Some of us think WE get up early to go do our jobs, but you get up and at 'em even earlier to make sure those people have a safer route.

While there are minor inconveniences to us that are simply "side effects" of you doing your job like having to sometimes dig out our mailboxes or move a little slower when we end up behind you, let me apologize on behalf of a lot of people out there.

I would rather have to shovel or scrape a little extra snow off my property than to get into an accident because the roads aren't safe. You take a lot of that stress of driving in the winter away from people.

There have been so many times where I am on the verge of having a panic attack driving in sketchy conditions but once I see your trucks or the plow sticking out, I can breathe a little easier and slow down and follow behind you knowing I'm safer than I was.

All in all, thank you from the bottom of my cold, Michigander heart.