CHARLOTTE — Transportation crews in the Carolinas are gearing up for long shifts as North Carolina DOT workers spend days preparing the region for whatever winter weather arrives.
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A big part of that has been laying down brine.
All major interstates and highways in Mecklenburg County have already been treated with brine.
Trucks have put 90,000 gallons down so far with the process that started Thursday morning. The mixture is 77% water and 23% salt.
Crews will start storm operations at 2 p.m. Saturday.
They will be working 12-hour shifts, which will continue until the inclement weather moves out and roads are cleared up.
Crews will be working on clearing interstates and highways, then secondary roads, then residential roads.
There will be 445 contractors and 105 plow trucks available in the following counties: Mecklenburg, Stanly, Union, Anson and Cabarrus.
The best advice DOT officials can give people is to stay home and avoid driving.
“Were at the mercy of the weather,” said Jen Goodwin, NCDOT spokesperson. “We’re going to use everything we have available, all of our resources to try to get it to get it to melt, to try to get the roads open, again. But we need some cooperation too from the public to be able to stay off the roads and not drive.”
The brine will still hold up and be effective even after it rained Friday morning. The DOT is at full capacity on salt and has another shipment coming. There isn’t a threat that they could run out of salt.
VIDEO: Friday morning’s forecast with Meteorologist Keith Monday
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