
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is sending out a strong message to residents of central and eastern North Carolina: stay off the roads if you can. A swath of snow has blanketed much of the state's eastern half, prompting such warnings and a concerted effort by North Carolina Department of Transportation to clear the affected areas. The North Carolina Department of Transportation website reported, "We have significant amounts of snow and slick roads in areas of the state that don’t often see a lot of snowfall," according to Transportation Secretary Joey Hopkins. Hopkins added, "as temperatures are likely to remain below freezing for the next few nights many roads may remain unsafe for travel into the weekend."
State efforts to manage the snowy conditions have been in full force, with North Carolina Department of Transportation crews and contractors working tirelessly since the snow started this past Tuesday. Despite their hard work, those relying on the state-maintained roads for their daily commutes may experience obstacles, with areas like Elizabeth City and the Outer Banks being the hardest hit. The North Carolina Department of Transportation’s strike against the snow involved massive amounts of brine and tons of salt; crews have spread over 953,000 gallons of brine and 15,000 tons of salt thus far to mitigate the icy conditions, as per an update from North Carolina Department of Transportation.
What sets this winter storm apart from others is its irregular behavior, dropping varying snowfall amounts from the Charlotte and Triad areas, through many eastern communities, and sheeting parts of the coast with more than 8 inches of snow. In response, nearly 2,000 North Carolina Department of Transportation employees and contractors have geared up with snow plows and salt spreaders, aiming to first clear interstates and primary roads before tackling the most heavily traveled secondary routes.
Carrying the spirit of collaboration, North Carolina Department of Transportation crew members from the lesser-impacted western half of North Carolina are coming to the aid of their eastern counterparts, as explained by Hopkins, "We lean on each other in times of need". This gesture of support is seen as a way of returning the favor to those who were affected by Hurricane Helene in recent months and had previously received help from other regions in the state.
Preemptive measures were also taken as North Carolina Department of Transportation and its contractors had laid down 2.8 million gallons of brine in anticipation of the winter storm. This solution helps to keep snow and ice from bonding too strongly with the road surfaces, making the plowing process moderately more straightforward. Nonetheless, the message remains clear: avoid travel if it's not necessary, to allow road crews to do their jobs effectively and ensure that the roads will be safe for use as soon as possible.