KYTC District 6 Snowfighters - We're Here All "Dey"
Motorist still advised to avoid travel
COVINGTON, Ky. (Feb. 4, 2022) – Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 Snowfighters have been tackling this snow event. They have worked all through the night running their routes - treating and plowing the in each county in the District. Precipitation is still falling in many areas. Our team won’t quit either!
District 6 crews have been mobilized since before the Thursday morning rush hour. They have been doing their best to keep roads passable, but this snow event had a variety of challenges. Crews spent the overnight hours running their routes and clearing intersections. Today they will continue treating and plowing and hope to get some help with the daylight, but with temperatures in the teens, efforts will be hampered.
When you see our trucks and give them the space they need. They are working hard to make our roadways safe for you. Please remember that roads will not be clear until this storm passes. We appreciate your patience. And we thank you for helping our efforts by staying off the roadways.
A shift change will take place at noon so that a fresh crew could continue to treat roadways. We plan to work around the clock through Friday and into Saturday morning.
If you must travel, be prepared for icy conditions. These are NOT normal driving conditions. Leave early, plan your route, have a full tank of gas, charger, blanket, food, flashlight.
The National Weather Service forecast: https://www.weather.gov/iln/weatherstory
District 6 currently has approximately 21,000 tons of salt stored in the domes located at the state maintenance facilities as well as 67,000 gallons of brine and 36,000 gallons of calcium chloride. There are 120 trucks, state and contractors, available to treat state roads and interstates.
Maintenance crews in KYTC District 6 have responsibility for clearing over 2,000 miles of state-maintained highways in the counties of Boone, Bracken, Campbell, Carroll, Gallatin, Grant, Harrison, Kenton, Owen, Pendleton and Robertson. That equates to 4,670 “lane miles” – all driving lanes from rural state roads to interstate highways. District 6 state maintenance crews are prepared to work to keep roads in the best possible condition during winter weather.
In the Northern Kentucky counties of Boone, Kenton and Campbell, District 6 is responsible for 1,868 lane miles of roadway. Crews have stockpiled 16,500 tons of salt and over 26,000 gallons of brine for de-icing in the three counties. Sixty-two trucks are available for snow and ice removal We have five trucks that will focus on the six-mile section of I-75 between Buttermilk Pike and the Brent Spence Bridge that includes the “Cut in the Hill” and ramps.
When snowstorms hit, crews in affected counties are assigned 12-hour shifts to plow and treat state roadways on a priority basis – part of the Transportation Cabinet’s mission to keep traffic moving in a safe manner with an emphasis on maintaining mobility along critical corridors.
Priority A routes include critical state routes and those most heavily traveled such as interstates and main roads between counties or to hospitals, which receive the highest priority for snow-clearing efforts. Priority B and C routes include other important but lesser-traveled state routes.
The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has a webpage just for snow and ice information. The public can visit http://snowky.ky.gov to learn more about priority routes, access helpful winter weather tips and fact sheets and view informational videos on salt application and snow removal.
In addition, the public can monitor winter operations in real time on the state’s interactive traffic system – GoKY.ky.gov – to find out what’s happening on state routes in their local counties.
Every snowstorm is different and presents unique challenges, such as air temperature, pavement temperature, timing of snowfall and ice. Last winter season, 2020 – 2021, District 6 crews used 47/587 tons of salt, 34,287 gallons of brine and 49,560 gallons of liquid chloride. In all, District 6 spent $6.7 million on equipment, materials and labor.
You are an important part! Safe travel begins with YOU!
Be prepared:
The following measures will help keep motorists safe and prepared:
- Put yourself in emergency mode
- Pay attention to weather advisories. Weather will impact your commute on some level
- Travel only as necessary during major snow events. It’s better to be stuck at home than to be stuck on the road
- Maintain a safe distance from snowplows and other heavy highway equipment
- Do not pass snowplows on the shoulder
- Allow time for a slower commute
- Winterize vehicles
- Supply vehicles with blankets, flash light and an emergency supply kit
- Know before you go. Visit ky.gov and download the free Waze app to check traffic conditions before you travel
- Eliminate distractions (e.g. operating phone and eating) while driving
- Cooperate with the expectations of the Quick Clearance law, which requires drivers to move vehicles to the shoulder in the event of a non-injury crash
Follow KYTCDistrict6 on our Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/KYTC.District6 and on our Twitter page at https://twitter.com/KYTCDistrict6.
If you don’t do your job, you can inhibit our capability to do ours.
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