Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) snowfighters are on alert for some wintry Christmas weather.
Temperatures that were unseasonably warm Wednesday are forecast to start dropping rapidly tonight and into Christmas Eve, along with precipitation that can freeze quickly on roadways. Chances of measurable snow increase as a winter storm moves from west to east. Accumulations of 1 to 1.5 inches in Central Kentucky and 3 to 5 inches in Eastern Kentucky are expected.
Christmas Day will be very cold, with temperatures below 30 degrees everywhere and dipping lower as one travels east.
KYTC salt and snow plow crews are prepared to respond as needed Thursday.
“Clearing our roadways of ice and snow is always our top winter priority,” KYTC Secretary Jim Gray said. “Our maintenance crews plan and prepare for it nearly year-round. They’re dedicated to this essential public service.”
More than 2,000 KYTC employees are available for efforts to treat and clear more than 63,000 lane miles of roads,
KYTC begins the current snow and ice season with 1,024 trucks with front-end blades, four others with tow-plows and 400 contract trucks. It also has stockpiles of salt, the largest being 100,000 tons stored underground in Louisville.
District 6 starts out with 31,350 tons of salt each winter season stored in the domes located at the state maintenance facilities. There are 135 trucks available to treat state highways 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. Seventy-five trucks are available for snow and ice removal – three of which will concentrate on the six-mile section of I-75 between Buttermilk Pike and the Brent Spence Bridge that includes the “Cut in the Hill.”
While road crews are out treating roads, motorists should:
• Exercise greater caution when driving. Slow down.
• Be prepared for slick conditions.
• Give lots of room to snow plows and other heavy highway equipment.
• Eliminate distractions while behind the wheel.
This year, the cabinet’s proactive planning has had to take into account the novel coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, which to date has killed more than 2,400 Kentuckians and has the potential for sidelining entire work crews and cause delays. The cabinet’s plans for reducing the risk of COVID-19 spread among its snow fighter crews include an emphasis on the basics – mandatory use of masks, hand washing and social distancing – plus strict limits on access to KYTC maintenance buildings in each county. When positive COVID-19 test results occur, employees are directed into quarantine, buildings and equipment are sanitized and buildings remain closed for at least two days.
Gov. Andy Beshear said the combination of COVID-19 and bad weather is all the more reason to stay healthy at home and help limit spread of the virus. “But when travel is essential, maximum cooperation is needed with the Transportation Cabinet crews who are operating the plows and salt spreaders,” Gov. Beshear said.
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, flashlight 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