NCDOT, local crews pretreat roads ahead of Friday's winter storm

DURHAM, N.C. (WTVD) -- State and local crews spent Thursday preparing roads across central North Carolina ahead of the first winter storm of the season.

Chopper 11 was over NCDOT trucks today as they spread brine on roads and major highways. Eyewitness News also captured video of brine trucks in Roxboro.

Kim Deaner from NCDOT says they spent extra time pretreating Person County.

"Anything that's elevated, and all bridges getting brined today," she said. "As it stands, Person County seems to be the hotspot. So those crews, they knew they were going to be the hotspot, so they were out yesterday brining. They took care of their primary roads."

Over in Durham, Environmental and Street Services crews filled trucks with brine.

Environmental and Street Services Assistant Director Phillip Powell says they're focusing on major roads used by emergency vehicles.

"We will focus on large roads such as Duke Street, Roxborough Road, and roads that have four to five lanes," he said.

Kenneth Walker used to drive one of the brine and plow trucks for about five years for the City of Durham before being promoted to a maintenance operations supervisor.

He says getting behind the wheel of one of these trucks can be overwhelming at first.

"If there's a street you passed already, you can always come back and see the progress you made," he said. "It's just a different experience sitting up there. It's like a bigger car, if you can say that."

He says the city will have 24 trucks and four brine trucks running nonstop until the storm is done Friday.

Some Durham crews will be in as early as 3 a.m. Friday.

"In the morning, we might be applying more salt and sand solution to kind of give traction for the commute going to work," said Walker.

Still, officials say they do not expect this storm to pack a strong punch.

"It doesn't appear that this storm is going to do anything major. As long as that remains the case, then brining should take care of any problem we run into," said Deaner. "But if it does, and the storm moves south a little bit then we will just respond accordingly."

State and local officials have a warning for drivers before roads begin to get icy.

"Stay at home if they can," said Powell. "If they have to be out, make sure that they have a correct braking distance between the vehicle in front of them in order not to have an accident."

City of Raleigh and Wake County officials both say they are not doing any major preparations Thursday, but are on standby if conditions worsen Friday.

Durham Public Schools has announced tomorrow will be a remote-learning day for students.

WCPSS say they have not yet made a decision about school tomorrow.