NCDOT Crews Ready for Winter Weather by
RALEIGH – N.C. Department of Transportation crews across the state are ready to handle winter weather across the state, and are on standby with equipment and supplies ready to go when needed. Crews on Tuesday began pre-treating interstates, N.C. and U.S. routes, as well as other heavily traveled roads with a salt-water mixture called brine in advance of weather expected Wednesday evening. Learn more about how NCDOT prepares for winter weather. Get tips to keep you safe, if you have to be on the roads. The biggest traffic impact from the weather is expected to be Wednesday evening commute, when snow could accumulate on some roadways (especially bridges and overpasses). A dusting to less than a half-inch of snow accumulation is possible in areas. Roads, however, are cold, so despite the light nature of the snow, hazardous travel impacts could still quickly develop. Because of the potentially dangerous conditions of roadways, NCDOT reminds drivers that if they don’t have to go out, it will be safer to stay home until roadway conditions improve. Motorists who must be on the roads should take precautions that include: Reduce speed and leave plenty of room between you and other vehicles in case either vehicle goes into a skid. Plan for significant additional travel time to reach your destination. Approach bridges and overpasses with extreme caution, and, unless necessary, do not apply your brakes while on a bridge or ramp. If you begin to slide, take your foot off the gas and turn the steering wheel in the direction of the slide. Do not apply the brakes as that will cause further loss of control of your vehicle. Come to a complete stop or yield the right of way when approaching an intersection in case any vehicles coming from other directions lose control of their vehicles while also trying to stop. If you have a cellphone, take it with you. You can contact the Highway Patrol statewide by calling *HP (*47) or call law enforcement by dialing 911. But please don’t call 911 to check on road conditions. That line is for emergencies only. For more tips on driving in winter weather, visit NCDOT’s safe-driving Web page. During and after a winter storm, crews in affected areas work around the clock to monitor changing weather conditions and treat roads. If needed, NCDOT also moves trucks and equipment from areas less affected by a storm to areas more affected. NCDOT has nearly 1,900 trucks that can be equipped with plows and spreaders to remove snow and ice. After plowing roadways, crews use salt, sand – or a mixture of both – on road surfaces. Salt helps melt ice and snow, and sand provides extra traction. When it comes to clearing roadways, NCDOT’s first priority is interstates and four-lane divided primary routes (N.C. and U.S. routes) that are essential to the movement of intrastate and regional traffic. After these roads are clear, the priority moves to clearing lower-volume primary roads, high-volume secondary roads, lower-volume secondary roads and then subdivision streets. ***NCDOT***
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