Posted: Thursday, January 28, 2010 8:55 pm

With the probability of ice, sleet and snow threatening to disrupt local driving, Murfreesboro Streets and Signs Department Director Rick Templeton says his department will be ready with any weather that creates hazardous driving here.

The National Weather Service is calling for one to four inches of snow and ice to fall before tapering off on Saturday. Templeton has two crews dedicated to dealing with whatever Mother Nature brings to Murfreesboro.

We’re all geared up for it,” Templeton said. “There are two storm teams down here and starting tonight they’ll go on eight-hour, alternating shifts."

“At 11 p.m.,” he continued, “there will be 13 people here. Twelve will be running the trucks and one will be in charge.”

The department has eight trucks with two-man teams in each, he said. Seven trucks have salt spreaders and five have plows.

Templeton and his crews will be keeping an eye on the storm if it develops, he said.

The city’s supply of road salt is more than adequate with about 1,000 tons on hand in two locations, including 250 tons at the ready outside Templeton’s offices on West Main Street and the bulk of it at the Public WorksWinter Driving Tips facility on Florence Road.

“They are loading up right now, Templeton said. "We’ll be ready.”

Murfreesboro's Cable Channel 3 has developed a series of winter driving tips you may want to see.

Murfreesboro Solid Waste Department doesn’t plan to alter its pickup schedule unless streets get treacherous enough to hinder regular routes, Department Director Joey Smith said.

“If the roads and other conditions are such that we can start,” Smith said, “we’ll start at our normal time and go from there.”