NCDOT Crews Clearing Seasonal Snow by
ASHEVILLE — An expected dusting turned into significant snow across the roadways of western North Carolina on Friday. N.C. Department of Transportation crews began preparing for winter weather during warmer months, finalized situational plans earlier this week and started working on roads before the first flake fell. More than 400 employees across seven counties placed 119,000 gallons of brine on state-maintained roads on Thursday. More than 1,000 employees drove 630 trucks (or motorgraders) to push the snow, spread sand or salt, and spray more than 50,000 gallons of brine on Friday. They’ll continue clearing the roads in a priority order until all roads are clear. In the eastern mountains — Alleghany, Ashe, Avery and Watauga counties — snow started sticking to the ground around sunrise and measured about five inches on Friday afternoon. The primary and secondary roads were partially covered with snow. In the greater Asheville area, snowfall amounts varied from none in Rutherford County as of Friday afternoon, to eight inches in Mitchell County. Traffic flowed on Interstates 40 and 26, even with some slush on the freeways. In the far western counties, snow began falling before sunrise and accumulations reached six inches in most places and more in others. Transportation officials remind drivers to be patient and allow extra time to reach destinations, to simply slow down, to give drivers more room and don’t crowd the plows. ***NCDOT***
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