North Carolina is preparing for the first significant winter storm of this year. The N.C. Department of Transportation (NCDOT) and State Highway Patrol are advising residents to complete storm preparations. NCDOT has pre-treated major roadways with a saltwater solution to help reduce ice formation.
More than 1,800 NCDOT employees and contractors have pre-treated roads and prepared equipment ahead of the storm. Crews have applied over 1.8 million gallons of brine and have 1,250 dump trucks equipped with snow plows and spreaders available, with an additional 913 contract trucks ready to assist, according to the NCDOT.
NCDOT and the State Highway Patrol activated a towing program at 6 a.m. today to remove disabled or abandoned vehicles during the storm. The program focuses on highways and primary routes to maintain traffic flow and support plowing operations. Digital highway signs have been updated to notify drivers of the towing protocol.
Snow, sleet, and freezing rain are expected to begin early Saturday in North Carolina. State Transportation Secretary Daniel Johnson reminded residents to prepare for cold conditions and advised against traveling unless necessary, noting that melting snow and ice could refreeze overnight, creating hazardous road conditions.
