N.C. Department of Transportation crews are clearing roads and treating icy patches this morning after a winter storm brought snow to parts of western North Carolina.
Motorists traveling through western North Carolina today are asked to slow down, use caution and be mindful of any NCDOT workers or vehicles along the roadway.
Here’s what NCDOT crews are doing to help drivers travel safely through the region:
Division 11 (Yadkin, Surry, Wilkes, Alleghany, Ashe, Watauga, Caldwell and Avery counties): The mountain counties of Division 11 (Alleghany, Ashe, Avery and Watauga) were the only ones to see significant snow accumulation in that division. Crews are clearing roughly 1-3 inches of snow in those counties, but the low temperatures decrease the effectiveness of salt.
Division 12 (Alexander, Iredell, Catawba, Lincoln, Gaston, Cleveland): As a preventative measure, NCDOT crews will spread some salt brine today along major bridges, overpasses and interchanges in Alexander, Iredell, Catawba and Lincoln counties.
Division 13 (Burke, McDowell, Rutherford, Buncombe, Madison, Yancey and Mitchell counties): The primary routes in Madison and Yancey counties are mostly clear with possible icy spots in some areas. All secondary routes are completely covered with snow and ice.
NCDOT crews will begin clearing secondary roads this morning during a 12-hour shift. Another crew will come in tonight for an additional 12-hour shift.
Division 14 (Haywood, Jackson, Henderson, Polk, Transylvania, Swain, Macon, Clay, Cherokee and Graham counties): Division 14 had snow and ice operations in Cherokee, Clay, Macon, Graham, Swain, Jackson, Haywood and Henderson counties, with some areas receiving up to 5 inches of snow. Minimal snow and ice cleanup was needed in Polk and Transylvania counties.
Snow continues to fall along Interstate 40 in Haywood County near the Tennessee border. Traffic is moving at a reduced speed in that area. Icy spots have been reported along that section of I-40, particularly around interstate ramps.
The division will continue clearing roads today to have all roads treated by tonight. Although all routes will be treated, some icy spots will remain. Some NCDOT crews in the hardest hit counties will work overnight to address icy spots and any refreezing that occurs. In addition, the division might have 6-12 employees working tomorrow to distribute salt supplies.
For real-time travel information at any time, call 511, visit www.ncdot.gov/travel or follow NCDOT on Twitter at www.ncdot.gov/travel/twitter. Another option is NCDOT Mobile, a phone-friendly version of the NCDOT website. To access it, type “m.ncdot.gov” into the browser of your smartphone. Then, bookmark it to save for future reference.