As North Carolina braces for incoming winter storms, the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) has dispatched a fleet of 1,900 trucks across the state, armed with nearly 14,000 tons of salt, to treat roads susceptible to ice and snow. ABC11 reports that the road treatment operation commenced 72 hours ahead of the expected weather, with a focus on primary roads on Wednesday and major interstates and high-volume routes to follow yesterday.
With temperatures dropping in the Triangle, these preparations mark the NCDOT's first large-scale bringing efforts in over a thousand days, and the cold presents its unique challenges. "With the cold temperatures, it really reduces our window of when and where we can apply brine," said Doug McNeal, the NCDOT Division Maintenance Engineer, in a statement obtained by Spectrum News. Engaged fully in the efforts, the crews have begun the process of treating low-volume roads and Interstate 540, with the intention to scale back brining today.
Meanwhile, the City of Raleigh has not been idle, initiating their own preventive measures by brining approximately 840 miles of roadway. WRAL shared footage of brine trucks being loaded at Raleigh's transportation field service office, preparing to deploy a solution that's significantly saltier than seawater. Raleigh's crews anticipate that every single mile of the city’s responsibility will be brined, a step that "lowers the freezing temperature of the pavement," according to Jason Holmes, manager of Raleigh's transportation department, who told WRAL.
Despite the passage of time since their last big winter storm, NCDOT states confidence in their readiness. Given that many of the area's drivers will be navigating these conditions for the first time, patience is advised. “Everyone just needs to be patient, and we will get through this,” McNeal conveyed to Spectrum News. The fleet of trucks, once refilled with brine at the rate of 320 gallons a minute, will stand against the winter blast to ensure transit safety. For safe distances, it's advised to give them about 200 feet of clearance, which approximately totals 10 to 12 car lengths.
