Warmer temperatures, transportation crews help clear roads from winter storm

RALEIGH, N.C. (WTVD) -- Driving conditions improved in the Triangle Monday as warmer temperatures aided transportation crews in clearing roads.

"We plowed all night last night and the temperatures that were above freezing really helped. We're going to be able to make some great progress today. We're going to continue to clear our interstates, our primary roads, and we will be getting to those secondary roads today, which is fantastic news for everyone," said Kim Deaner with NCDOT.

The agency is bringing in additional crews to address subdivisions.

"Those crews came from divisions east of us that didn't receive the type of precipitation we receive. They're going to be hitting primary roads today alongside us and then they're going to concentrate on subdivisions tomorrow. One note (for) people living in subdivisions that are maintained by the North Carolina Department of Transportation - park your cars in your driveway so that we can clear all the snow," Deaner explained.

The agency is continuing to urge people to avoid driving if possible, both due to concerns over possible refreezing as well as to make it easier for maintenance trucks to operate.

"Having empty roads always makes it easier because you're not running into any sort of obstacle," Deaner explained.

In Cary, the town has been running a rotation of crews to try and address roads.

"We have over 400 team members in town that assisted in this storm. All of them work 12-hour shifts and on and off, on and off. We're in our third rotation now and we're in until 6 p.m. tonight with this shift," said Jimmy Simpson, the town's Public Works Director.

They're also aided by new tools which allow them to gain a better understanding of the impacts from the winter storm.

"We're constantly making calls on do we put rock salt down? Do we treat it? Do we plow it? How long do we let that salt interact with the road surface? We have new technologies now with cameras that kind of give us an idea of our road temperatures," Simpson explained.

Upkeep remains a top priority, as drivers have their blades replaced to avoid damage to the plows. Simpson said staff are already preparing for the possibility of more winter weather over the coming days.

"We were able to procure salt. We have a contract that we keep. We have a logistics section in our public works team that is constantly looking at our stocks. We have maximums and minimums of how many plow blades we keep and those things on hand. Hard hats, safety gear, safety vest, all of that. We're constantly replenishing that throughout the storm," Simpson explained.

Over at Bond Park, families were grateful for the town's effort in clearing roadways, as they enjoyed the snow before it melted.

"It's very important because the temperature is freezing for two to three days in a row. Safety was a concern. We weren't really sure early morning, but as the sun is out and things are settling and we were out and streets were clear, we had no concern that we can go to Bond Park and sled," said Archana Kothiya, a resident.