As a winter storm sweeps through the Metrolina region, the N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and its contract crews are hard at work, laboring to combat the icy conditions blanketing area interstates and primary roads. In a recent update, NCDOT detailed its ongoing storm response strategy which has seen crews in Division 10, covering Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly, and Union counties, apply an estimated 183,250 gallons of brine to help mitigate road ice last Thursday.
With roads pretreated, NCDOT crews began storm response on Saturday afternoon, working 12-hour shifts to spread salt and reduce ice. As of Sunday morning, many routes still had partial or complete ice coverage. The department is using 66 trucks and 129 contract vehicles to treat all bare pavement routes until the roads are clear.
"The good news is, we see temperatures starting to climb throughout the day today and even into the night," Division Maintenance Engineer Mike Mariano said, according to the N.C. Department of Transportation. "Tomorrow, we will start to see temperatures above freezing before it drops to the single digits Monday night. We will continue to make strides to re-establish our roads in our bare pavement system through the day and into the night."
NCDOT is working with contract crews and utility providers to clear downed trees and restore power. Officials urge the public to avoid unnecessary travel, as roads may remain hazardous. The department and N.C. State Highway Patrol are also removing vehicles left on roads or shoulders. These measures will continue until it is safe to lift them.
For the latest travel updates, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.
