INDOT readies for late
winter storm Snowfall predicted with several inches of accumulation possible
Preparations are now underway for winter weather expected to hit Indiana late tonight and Monday. The
Indiana Department of Transportation reminds motorists to be cautious if traveling in what could be hazardous conditions.
INDOT is monitoring several weather forecasts, and the
latest information from the National Weather Service predicts snow over the next 72 hours ranging between wintry mix in southern Indiana and up to 8 inches in northwest Indiana. About half of Indiana’s 92 counties are under
a Winter Weather Advisory, mainly in northern and central Indiana.
Since late last week, INDOT yellow
trucks have been pretreating interstates and state highways with a salt-water solution. Once the snow and ice begin falling, crews will switch from spraying salt brine to plowing and salting.
With this being such a mild winter, INDOT urges
motorists to get back into winter driving habits. It’s been several
weeks since roads have been covered with snow. Drive snow smart, give yourself
extra time and limit non-essential travel during the heaviest snow.
INDOT has the following resources to respond to
this late winter weather event:
- 1,092
Snow plows
- 200,000
tons of salt
- 100,000
gallons of brine
- 1,843
employees on call covering 28,000 lane miles
- All regional districts
have around the clock crews working 12-hour shifts to battle the snow
Motorists are urged to:
- Slow
down and stay behind the snowplows. The road behind the plow will be the
safest place to drive. Allow at least ten car lengths between your vehicle
and snowplows or hopper spreaders.
- Do not
pass. The plows are wide, and sometimes a group of trucks will work in
tandem to clear snow quickly, especially on major highways.
- Be
particularly aware of black ice conditions on surfaces such as bridge
decks and entrance and exit ramps late tonight and the early hours of
tomorrow morning.
- Remember
that technology helps, but only to a point. Four-wheel drive, anti-lock
brakes and traction control are beneficial advancements in today’s cars,
trucks and SUVs, but they cannot take the place of good driving habits and
the need to reduce speed on snowy or icy roads.
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