Shelby
-Roads in
North Carolina's western mountains region are in good shape today after snow
fell Monday, and N.C. Department of
Transportation crews are prepared for additional snow and ice accumulation
in the next few days.
Interstates and primary roads
are clear with some possibly icy spots in Division 14,which
includesCherokee, Clay, Graham, Haywood, Henderson, Jackson, Macon, Polk,
Swain and Transylvania counties. Crews worked today to clear any secondary roads
still covered in snow.
The division has seen
scattered snow and rain today, with heavier snow and additional accumulation
expected tonight and Wednesday. Division 14 crews are monitoring supplies and
equipment, and are prepared to continue their snow and ice removal efforts as
snowfall increases. The division has more than 9,400 tons of salt on hand and
will receive additional deliveries as needed.
The National Weather Service
has issued a winter storm warning for most of Division 14 until Thursday.
Significant accumulation is expected to develop throughout the region, and
hazardous driving conditions could develop. Motorists are asked to avoid
travel, if possible.
If you're not able to stay at
home, here are a few safety tips for driving in winter weather:
- Clear
windows and mirrors;
- Reduce
speed and leave plenty of room between you and other vehicles;
- Approach
bridges and overpasses with extreme caution and do not apply your brakes
while on a bridge unless necessary;
- If
you begin to slide, take your foot off the gas and turn the steering wheel
in the direction of the slide. Do not apply the brakes as that will cause
further loss of control of the car;
- Come
to a complete stop or yield the right of way when approaching an
intersection in case any vehicles coming from other directions lose
control of their vehicles while trying to stop;
- Be
on the lookout for fallen tree limbs and power lines from snow/ice
accumulation. NCDOT crews work with local power companies to remove the
fallen limbs and downed lines as quickly as possible;
- If
you have a cellular phone, take it with you. You can contact the Highway
Patrol statewide by calling *HP (*47) or call law enforcement by dialing
911. But please don't call 911 to check on road conditions. That line must
be kept open for emergencies.
For real-time travel information at any time,
call 511, visit
www.ncdot.gov/travel
or follow NCDOT on Twitter at
www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a
phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type "
m.ncdot.gov"
into the browser of your smartphone and bookmark it to save for future use.