CLEVELAND — Heavy snow accumulation and ice may be behind us, but that doesn’t mean Ohio Department of Transportation Crews aren’t still on the roads.

ODOT is asking drivers to use caution as mowing crews work along highways around the state.

The department has cautioned drivers to be safe around their crews, particularly during the winter. According to their Winter Media Center, 54 plows were hit this season.

ODOT said they maintain 80,000 acres along the state’s highways.

“In the past, ODOT mowed the entire right-of-way along its routes before each summer holiday, including Memorial Day, Independence Day, and Labor Day,” reads a post on the ODOT website. “Today, ODOT regularly mows medians and the first 30 feet from the edge of pavement. Back slopes are mowed only once per year to coincide with Monarch butterfly migration patterns. In doing so, ODOT has reduced mowing costs approximately $1.8 million annually.”