The North Carolina Department of Transportation gave an update Friday afternoon on its preparations and strategies for managing roadways before, during and after the winter storm.

Doug McNeal, division maintenance engineer for NCDOT’s Division 5, said NCDOT has been preparing for this during the past three days.

Division 5 covers Durham and Wake counties as well as surrounding counties up to the Virginia line.

“We’ve had about 65 salt-brine applicators out in the division. We’ve put out roughly 465,000 gallons in our division,” McNeal said.

Statewide, more than 3 million gallons have been put down.

“We’re expecting impacts across pretty much all of North Carolina. Right now, we’re transitioning to our response time,” McNeal said. “We’re starting to see a little bit of snow in the air … but it’s certainly going to get treacherous out there.”

He said 110 DOT trucks and motor graders are ready to go and an additional 150 contract trucks are loaded and staged.

“As it starts to roll in, we generally wait until you can see tracks in the road before we start taking in, applying salt,” McNeal said. “If you apply before then, it just bounces off the roads, so you need a little bit of material there to capture it but once we give it a little bit of time to activate, and we’re plowing from there.”

He said another concern with this storm is the potential for freezing rain.

“We’re seeing forecasts potentially up to a quarter-inch of ice in the area,” McNeal said.

They’ve also staged what McNeal called cut-and-shove crews.

“We’ll take and try to cut it back to the edge of the pavement and then push off everything else so that the lanes are open and then we come back after things warm up in a couple of days and clear it up from there,” he explained.

McNeal said Saturday would be a good day for people to sleep in and “enjoy that cup of coffee before you go out.”

(WGHP) — Governor Josh Stein declared a statewide state of emergency on Thursday evening ahead of a winter storm expected to sweep through the Piedmont Triad on Friday.

He is urging people across North Carolina to prepare for cold temperatures, snow and ice. 

“This storm will likely bring significant impacts from snow, sleet and freezing rain in different parts of the state,” Stein said. “North Carolinians should pay close attention to their local weather forecast, make sure they are prepared with what they need at home before Friday afternoon and stay home if possible as ice on the roadways will likely create dangerous driving conditions.” 

On Wednesday, Stein activated state resources to set into motion a cross-agency storm response and enable the potential of federal reimbursement if the event qualifies.

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has begun brining roads. They will work around the clock in 12-hour shifts to plow and treat snow and ice until all state-maintained roads are cleared.  

“State emergency officials are monitoring the situation and are prepared to assist the counties and municipalities if needed,” NC Emergency Management Director Will Ray said. “Residents across the state should be prepared to shelter in place. If the power goes out, be sure to operate generators outside and away from open windows or doors to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning.”