CHARLOTTE – As winter weather crosses the region, N.C. Department of Transportation and contract crews are working to treat and remove ice from area interstates and primary roads.
In Division 10, which includes Anson, Cabarrus, Mecklenburg, Stanly and Union counties, crews applied approximately 183,250 gallons of brine, a mixture of water and 23 percent salt, to area roadways on Thursday.
Once all roads were pretreated, crews began reporting for storm response Saturday afternoon to work rotating 12-hour shifts, applying salt to roads to activate melting.
As of Sunday morning, most roads in the division are either partially or completely covered in ice. The Department will utilize 66 NCDOT trucks and 129 contract trucks to monitor and treat all bare pavement routes until the event is complete and all roadways are clear.
“The good news is, we see temperatures starting to climb throughout the day today and even into the night," said Division Maintenance Engineer Mike Mariano. “Tomorrow, we will start to see temperatures above freezing before it drops to the single digits Monday night. We will continue to make strides to re-establish our roads in our bare pavement system through the day and into the night."
The Department is also working with local cut-and-shove contract crews staged across the area to help remove any downed trees and with local utility providers to ensure access to areas needing restored power.
Officials emphasize patience as NCDOT works to clear the roads and to avoid travel, if possible, as conditions could remain hazardous for several days.
NCDOT is also working with the N.C. State Highway Patrol to activate immediate towing, allowing immediate removal of any vehicles left on roads or shoulders that could be potential hazards to other drivers. This agreement will stay in place until it is safe to lift.
For real-time travel information, visit DriveNC.gov or follow NCDOT on social media.