NCDOT Crews Work Long Shifts Clearing Roads

Road crews continue cleaning up primary roads and highways across North Carolina.

According to the North Carolina Department of Transportation, over the past 24 hours, 1,300 trucks and 170 graders have been on the roads clearing away snow and ice for motorists. Spokesman Mike Charbonneau says primary roads are being cleared and salted several times to reduce the chance of black ice forming tonight. Then Thursday, Jan. 30, crews will work on secondary roads. “In some remote areas, there may be addition roadways and it will take a little longer to get to them. However, we should get to the majority of our secondary roadways within 24-36 hours after we clean the primary roads.”  NCDOT manages 80,000 miles of primary and secondary roads.

In several northern states, there are sand and salt shortages as state road crews battle winter storms. Charbonneau says North Carolina doesn't have that problem. "While this has been a major winter event that's impacted all 100 counties from the mountains to the coast, we have not had a tremendous amount of winter weather this year. So our salt and sand supply is good to hold up through this month and beyond.”
Across North Carolina, within in first 24 hours of this storm, 15,000-17,000 tons of salt and sand were used on roads to melt snow and ice.

Also, the National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for 81 counties, including those making up the Piedmont. It's in effect until Noon tomorrow, Thursday.