Kentucky Highway Crews To Pre-Treat Roads In Anticipation Of More Snow

Mayfield, Ky.–In anticipation of snow arriving Friday night into Saturday, Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) crews in District 1 plan to ramp up pre-treating activities along area highways during the day.

While accumulation totals in the forecast vary widely at this time, highway crews will be pre-treating ‘A’ Snow Priority Routes today, then consider anti-icing efforts along ‘B’ and ‘C’ Snow Priority Route on Friday as the forecast firms up.

The ‘A’ Snow Priority Routes are generally 4-lane highways, Interstates, and U.S. Highways. For a list of snow priority routes by county please go to https://transportation.ky.gov/sites/snowky.

Motorists should be alert for slow-moving trucks spraying brine on highway surfaces. The KYTC District 1 supertanker will be spraying along Interstate 24, and Interstate 69 at regular traffic speeds.  The supertanker may also pre-treat other 4-lane routes as time allows.

Brine sprayed on pavement dries to leave a fine powder coating of salt that sticks on the road driving surface.  It is then activated by falling snow. Pre-treating initially improves driving conditions in the early hours of a snow and ice event, then makes it easier for crews to plow snow by keeping frozen precipitation from bonding to the pavement.

Motorists are reminded to adjust their driving speed to meet localized weather conditions as the snow develops. Motorists are advised to monitor the evolving forecast via area news media outlets or on the National Weather Service Paducah Office page at https://www.facebook.com/NWSPaducah.

Just as highway crews prep their equipment for snow and ice, they ask that you do the same. A Colorado survey found that many motorists who ended up off the road during early-season snow events had sub-standard tire tread. Many tire suppliers will provide a free tire tread check.

The KYTC District 1 Snow & Ice Team will continue to monitor changing conditions as the system approaches to ensure highway crews are ready to respond.

To get traffic advisories and alerts via email please go to https://public.govdelivery.com/accounts/KYTC/signup/13651 . Cl\lick on counties in Kentucky you regularly drive through or on any of the specialty corridors you travel.  There is a specific group for snow and ice response.   Be sure to check your SPAM filtering to assure Gov Delivery is on your approved list.

Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1. You do not have to be a Facebook member to access this page.

Navigate traffic at goky.ky.gov, at waze.com, or with the WAZE App.

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