Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews in the 11 Counties of District 2 will be out pre-treating roadways through the day today.
Motorists are asked to be alert for slow moving trucks as crews go about their work preparing highways for winter precipitation.
Brine produced by running water through salt is sprayed on road surfaces where it dries into a fine powder. The salt powder is then available to be activated during the early hours of a winter weather event. In addition to providing safer driving conditions when precipitation starts, the fine powder of salt helps keep snow from bonding to the pavement surface making it easier to plow away as it accumulates.
Motorists are asked to slow down and use caution when they encounter trucks and support vehicles spraying brine along area highways through the day. Crews will attempt to pre-treat as many miles of highway as possible. However, there may not be enough time for all highways to be treated before the precipitation moves in tonight.
The overnight forecast ranges from a chance of freezing rain along the Kentucky-Tennessee border counties to a chance of snow along the Ohio River border counties with Indiana, with a chance of various types of winter precipitation in between. Road surface temperatures are warm enough to help melt most frozen precipitation as it falls. Transportation officials are concerned mainly about the potential for slick spots to develop on bridges, overpasses, and areas such as hilltops that may be exposed to a combination of wind and below-freezing temperatures.
Snow plow operators ask that you carefully monitor the local forecast for localized changes in weather and road conditions. Allow yourself extra travel time so you can slow down and avoid getting into trouble overnight or on the morning commute on Tuesday.
Highway crews will be on alert through the night as the weather event approaches. All KYTC District 2 counties will have trucks loaded with salt and ready to roll should they be called to respond to reports of slick spots developing. Some counties with the most serious threat of precipitation will have personnel at the local maintenance facility as appropriate.
KYTC District 2 covers about 3,300 miles of highway in Hancock, Ohio, Muhlenberg, McLean, Daviess, Henderson, Union, Webster, Hopkins, Caldwell, and Christian counties.
Last week several dozen employees of KYTC District 1 and District 2 completed snow plow simulator training to help them be better prepared to take on winter weather.