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MnDOT And Metrodome Prepare For Snow

By Reg Chapman, WCCO-TV

MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- It's all hands on deck for Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) workers.

Crews are preparing their equipment to tackle all the snow that's headed our way.

And it's not just MnDOT preparing, the Metrodome is too.

There is a plan in place to make sure the snow does not once again invade Viking territory.

Remember when the snow and ice on top of the Metrodome was too much for it?

Well, the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission does and they are doing all they can to make sure it does not happen again.

According to the commission's Executive Director, Bill Lester, the Metrodome is ready to handle the weather.

Lester said the roof is in an inverted position, stabilized and that the heat is on inside the stadium bowl.

He also said the heat can be controlled and he hopes that when the snow falls on top of the panels, the heat in the bowl will melt the snow.

If the snow piles up on the roof, however, the commission is prepared to flush down the panels with hot water to help melt the snow.

MnDOT is also preparing for snow.

Crews are expected to be called in to work as soon as the first snowflakes fly. They will work 12-hour shifts until the roads are clear.

In the past two days, crews pre-treated the roads.

MnDOT's Kent Barnard said that last week's warm weather is giving his crews a jump start when it comes to fighting the snowy threat.

"Mother nature helped us by melting some of the snow away," he said. "So with the new snow coming in we have a place to plow the snow."

Now, all Barnard is waiting on is the snow to fall.

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