Bracing for a mix of snow, sleet, and freezing rain from Wednesday to Thursday morning, the Town of Wake Forest has jumped into action, pre-treating roads with brine and preparing snow removal equipment to ensure minimal disruption to the community, as reported by Wake Forest's official news.
Efforts to mitigate icy conditions began today with Public Works crews applying brine, a saltwater solution, to bridges, overpasses, and known trouble spots, these preparations are expected to continue through tomorrow evening, the brining process is chosen for its efficiency as it begins working immediately upon application and adheres to surfaces better than rock salt which can be displaced easily.
Wake Forest stands ready with over 300 tons of a sand and salt mix, eight truck-mounted plows, a motor grader, and two backhoes to clear the town's 156 miles of roads; personnel will work round-the-clock until roads are deemed safe, prioritizing main thoroughfares and advising against on-street parking to facilitate snow removal, the primary roads are the first targets, and the town clarifies their responsibility doesn't extend to private lots.
Residents can contribute to the efforts by clearing debris from storm drains, thus preventing possible flooding, a reminder has been issued to contact 919-554-6150 for non-emergency services or icy road conditions, and importantly, 911 should be reserved for emergencies posing immediate threats only, the town advises against non-essential travel until conditions improve urging residents to remove all ice and snow from their vehicles before any necessary journey, lights should be on, and following distances increased.
Proactive year-round tree trimming by Wake Forest Power aims to minimize storm impacts on the town's 140 miles of overhead electric distribution lines, and customers experiencing outages are encouraged to report through their respective outage reporting lines or websites found on the Town of Wake Forest severe weather updates page. Finally, actionable information regarding the inclement weather will be disseminated through the official town website, Facebook page, mobile app, and email notifications for all registered residents to stay informed on the unfolding situation.
