Sunday did not ease into the weekend for Loudon County drivers. Before sunrise, a sheen of ice and frozen, packed snow turned many roads into slick chutes, making travel hazardous across the county. Road crews have zeroed in on interstates and other main arteries, while neighborhood streets and rural backroads remain stubbornly slick and slow to thaw. Anyone who has to be out should brace for delays and build in extra travel time.
Photos shared by the Loudon County Sheriff's Office show both major highways and quiet neighborhood streets coated in ice, and the post warns that some stretches are “completely iced over,” according to the Loudon County Sheriff's Office. The department notes that its delta squad captured the images and that crews will clear main roads and highways first, with secondary streets tackled as time and resources allow.
Crews Prioritize Highways Before Side Streets
County highway crews are working in step with state teams to treat and clear major routes, putting top priority on interstates, ramps, and bridges. TDOT’s Region 1 fact sheet lists dozens of salt and brine trucks stationed across East Tennessee and explains that crews focus first on heavily traveled corridors, according to the Tennessee Department of Transportation. That strategy helps explain why smaller residential streets and cul-de-sacs can sit icy for hours while the main arteries get cleared.
When Salt Stops Doing Its Job
The sheriff's post also points out that standard salt treatments start to lose their punch once temperatures drop to around 17 degrees Fahrenheit, which leaves even treated roads at risk of re-freezing overnight, according to the Loudon County Sheriff's Office. Officials add that snow compressed by passing vehicles has turned into solid sheets of black ice in many spots, making it tricky for drivers to spot trouble until they are already on top of it.
Travel Tips While The Ice Hangs On
Officials are urging residents to skip nonessential trips, ease off the gas, leave extra room between vehicles, and plan for longer drive times if travel is unavoidable. Statewide reporting and agencies are echoing those warnings during this winter event, saying that crews are concentrating on life-safety routes and asking drivers to give plows and salt trucks plenty of space to work, according to WSMV.
