TDOT prepares roads for winter storm
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MADISON COUNTY, Tenn. — With a winter storm to hit much of the West Tennessee area, road crews have been working day and night over the past two days preparing for the worst. TODT road crews have staged salt trucks and plows across West Tennessee to be ready when the snow arrives, making sure Monday’s commute is as safe and clear as possible. “It looks like they’ve salted the highways, so hopefully it will be good,” driver David Rehner said. Piles and piles of salt, rows and rows of plows, that’s how the Tennessee Department of Transportation fights snow and ice. “I think they handle it pretty well out here,” Rehner said. “The country roads and stuff are treacherous but main highways are usually fine.” TDOT says it has more than 60 plows, salt, and brine trucks treating 9,000 miles of road in West Tennessee. “For snow we’ll typically use the salt and brine and the plows,” TDOT spokesperson Nichole Lawrence said. “When it gets colder and it’s icy we use potato juice.” But with the amount of snow and ice expected to be significant, officials say it could take a little while before things get back to normal. “If we get several inches of snow, it’s going to take our crews several days to follow up and cover all of these areas,” Lawrence said Commuters say they’ll be prepared for the worst. “I’m just going to warm up the car, take it easy, and go under the speed limit all the way to work,” Rehner said. Officials are urging motorists to think ahead and only venture out if necessary. “If you come up on one of our pieces of equipment that’s trying to clear the road, stay back and give it plenty of room,” Lawrence said. “If you don’t have to be out, stay home and watch a movie.” Stay with WBBJ 7 Eyewitness News for the latest on road conditions across West Tennessee.
