TDOT to continue treating roads, bridges overnight

JACKSON, Tenn. — Drivers across northwest Tennessee faced hazardous road conditions Thursday morning.

“There’s some counties that aren’t as covered, but we’re still having to get out there and work that system and clear those roads,” Tennessee Department of Transportation community relations officer Nichole Lawrence said.

TDOT is trying to keep bridges clear, but water was already pooling Thursday morning, and some areas were already starting to freeze.

“As those temperatures continue to drop and get cooler, we will continue to monitor and make sure we have salt down on our elevated surfaces, bridges, and ramps, things of that nature, as we go into the night and in the morning,” Lawrence said.

TDOT employees said they have been working for days to get roads cleared.

“Black ice and frozen precipitation is always an enemy of ours. We do have additives we can add into our salt mixtures to help when the temperature gets below the mid 20s. We have potato juice, calcium chloride, different things like that, that we can add into that mixture to help the deicing agent work better,” Lawrence said.

And Lawrence says if you don’t have to get out, stay home.

TDOT’s SmartWay Map shows traffic conditions across the state that you can check before heading out.