CHARLOTTE — Saturday is set to see another round of wintry conditions in the Carolinas, and transportation crews are putting their plans in place to try and keep the roads clear of hazards.
Gov. Josh Stein is scheduled to provide an update on North Carolina’s storm preparations during a news conference at 11 a.m. Friday. The briefing comes as transportation crews across the region prepare for potentially hazardous road conditions.
The North Carolina Department of Transportation has already begun brining major roads statewide. Stein said these preparation efforts proved significant during a storm last weekend, when the state recorded no storm-related traffic fatalities.
“In a state of 11 million people, that’s remarkable and it’s a testament to their hard work to clear the roads,” Stein said on Thursday.
In South Carolina, transportation leaders expect road conditions to become dangerous as the storm moves through the region. Crews in that state are scheduled to begin working around the clock starting Friday to manage road safety and clearing efforts.
Justin Powell, the chief operating officer for the South Carolina Department of Transportation, said crews are keeping an eye on the forecast and will be working around the clock.
“As we see what actually falls from the forecast, folks need to be patient. It will take us some time to clear the roadways to get South Carolina moving again,” Powell said.
The Charlotte Area Transit System has announced changes to its schedule for the weekend as snow approaches.
CATS will operate on a “Sunday schedule” for Saturday, while the Gold Line will be suspended. The following routes won’t run on Saturday: 20 - Queens Road, 28 - Fairview Road, 30 - Woodlawn/Crosstown, 42 - Carowinds Boulevard, 43 – Ballantyne, 50 - URP/CIC, 51 - Pineville-Matthews Road, 54 - University Research Park, 59 - UNC Charlotte-Huntersville.
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