County Executive Agard Joins Dane County Highway Department for Annual Fall “Snow Road-eo”

October 08, 2025
execmedia@danecounty.gov, 608-800-1127
County Executive, Public Works Highway & Transportation

DANE COUNTY – Dane County Executive Melissa Agard joined employees of the Dane County Highway Department (DCHD) this week for their annual Fall “Snow Road-eo,” a hands-on training and skills competition designed to prepare highway staff for the upcoming winter season.

The Fall Snow Road-eo is one of two annual department-wide trainings focused on safety, technical skills, and professional development. The event gives highway staff the opportunity to refresh their knowledge of new technologies, highway operations, and updates to state and county policies—all while emphasizing worksite and workplace safety.

NOTE: A picture of County Executive Agard at event are attached to this email.

“Every winter, our Highway Department staff are out in the toughest conditions keeping Dane County roads safe and open,” said County Executive Agard. “Their work is essential to the daily life of our community. This training showcases their professionalism, skill, and commitment to public service. And it was great to see the state Department of Transportation on site working with our Highway Department to prepare for the winter season ahead.”

In addition to training sessions, the Snow Road-eo includes a friendly snow plow driving competition where operators navigate a marked obstacle course designed to simulate real-world winter driving challenges. The winner of the county event will go on to represent Dane County in the statewide competition. In 2024 a DCHD team member won the statewide competition.

“Events like the Road-eo bring staff together, giving them a chance to collaborate, share best practices, and learn from one another,” said Dane County Highway Commissioner Clement Abongwa. “This teamwork and preparation help ensure that when the snow flies, we’re ready.”

The DCHD is responsible for maintaining nearly 1,700 lane miles of county highways and coordinating with local municipalities and state partners during snow and ice operations. County crews have already replaced 32 culverts, finished over 18 miles of chip sealing, widened almost three mile of county highways to improve safety, and completed over 20 miles of paving this year. The warm weather this fall will allow the DCHD to complete even more yet this year.

“It was easy to see how proud the highway team is of the work they do for the county when I attended the Snow Road-eo this week,” said Agard. “As Dane County continues to grow we must thoughtfully invest in infrastructure and make sure they have the resources they need to keep their projects on track and our roads safe. That’s why my budget keeps this department fully staffed even with our tight budget and invests over $16 million for capital road improvement projects around the county.”