TDOT: Ready to tackle winter weather

NASHVILLE—The Tennessee Department of Transportation said it is stocked and ready to clear roadways of ice and snow this season. Over the last several weeks, salt supplies have been replenished in all 95 counties, and crews have readied snow plows and brine trucks for the winter season.

“Tennessee often sees the bulk of its winter weather in January and February,” TDOT Commissioner John Schroer said. “Our salt bins are fully stocked, and we have more than a thousand employees ready to mobilize in the event of inclement weather.”

There are 215 salt trucks and 215 snow plows and 69,758 tons of salt in Region 1, which includes 24 counties in East Tennessee, TDOT said. Region 1 has 9,182 lane miles on interstates and state routes and a $7.9 million ice and snow budget, as well as 373,000 gallons of salt brine.

Salt is in short supply across the nation after last year’s severe winter, according to a TDOT press release.

“This year, TDOT’s salt shipments are coming from South America,” the release said. “While all of TDOT’s 132 salt bins have been filled to capacity, new orders may take some time to arrive. In anticipation of possible delays in future salt shipments, TDOT personnel will make every effort to conserve salt supplies. TDOT’s fleet of salt and brine trucks have been calibrated to disperse only the correct amount of salt or salt brine, which will prevent unnecessary overuse of these supplies. TDOT can also use chemical additives such as calcium chloride to stretch salt supplies.”

TDOT’s statewide 2014/2015 winter weather budget is $19.6 million, and it includes salt, salt brine, overtime for employees, and equipment maintenance. The department has a total of three salt vendors to refill salt bins in all 95 Tennessee counties.

TDOT currently has more than 200,000 tons of salt and more than 2 million gallons of salt brine ready for use.  Salt brine is a salt/water mixture used as a pre-treatment for roads prior to a winter storm or to melt snow on roadways when temperatures are hovering around the freezing mark. Salt is applied to roads once snow has started to accumulate.

When snow hits Tennessee, TDOT ice and snow removal teams focus first on clearing interstates and heavily traveled state routes and will specifically target areas vulnerable to freezing, such as hills, curves, ramps, bridges, and interchanges, the release said. During prolonged weather events, crews may have to clear roadways repeatedly.

TDOT has a number of tools available to keep motorists informed about travel conditions including the TDOT SmartWay website (www.tn.gov/tdot/tdotsmartway) and the 5‑1‑1 motorist information line. You can also receive traffic alerts via TDOT’s multiple Twitter feeds, including statewide traffic tweets @TN511 or any of TDOT’s other Twitter pages. Smartphone users can download TDOT’s new SmartWay web application at www.TNsmartWay.com/Traffic to access TDOT’s live streaming SmartWay cameras, dynamic message signs, incidents, construction, and road conditions on interstates and state routes.

For more information about TDOT winter weather preparations, or for a regional breakdown of TDOT winter weather supplies and equipment, visit the TDOT web site at http://www.tdot.state.tn.us/mediaroom/snowbuster.htm.