LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — In the final hours before snow and bitterly cold temperatures arrive in Louisville, Metro Public Works crews put the final touches on their work to prepare the roads.
The storm could impact travel conditions Thursday into Friday morning, with 1-3 inches of snow followed by winds of up to 50 mph. The National Weather Service predicts temperatures won’t rise above freezing until Tuesday.
“We are making sure that our brining equipment, our salt-spreading augers (and) our plows are installed and working properly,” said Salvador Melendez, a spokesman for Metro Public Works. “Our snow crews have been practicing mock runs through all 111 snow routes in the Metro.”
If you take any of those routes, you’ll likely notice the trucks are not brining the roads. With steady rain in the forecast, crews are unable to effectively brine.
“Brine is applied when the road surface conditions are dry,” Melendez said. “It would be a waste of time. We are skipping that part, because it would not be effective.”
Leaders say the projected forecast sets them back a few days, because brining roads is typically a useful tool to melt snow and ice. But Melendez said there is still a plan to keep roads clear.
“Because of the low temperatures expected, we are going to put down a mix of salt and calcium chloride, which will cause any precipitation to become slushy, which is what we want to happen,” he said.
Leaders said the city has 38,000 tons of salt and more than 100 crews working throughout the weekend. Statewide, the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet said it has 320,000 tons of salt and 2,000 crews.
“What is forecasted is coming from the Indiana side,” Melendez said. “So our north side, we are expecting that those are the areas that will be hit first …
“In any case, wherever those areas are, our crews will be ready.”
To look at the Metro snow routes site, click here.
Related Stories:
Copyright 2022 WDRB Media. All Rights Reserved.