SAN ANTONIO – Below-freezing temperatures are expected in the coming days, and those responsible for keeping roads safe are hard a work preparing for the worst.
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“We’ve been monitoring the weather conditions since earlier this week,” said Laura Lopez, spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).
TxDOT trucks are treating state highways with brine, which helps melt ice.
“We start days in advance, and we continue to treat as necessary,” Lopez said.
On the county level, preparations are also underway. At the Southton Road Service Center for the Bexar County Public Works Department, several large spreader trucks are loaded with chat rock, which is like gravel. While it won’t melt ice, it does provide traction on slick roads.
“There is ongoing monitoring of the roadways, of our bridges. Anything that is elevated or at lower levels are areas that we’re concerned about,” said Tom Peine, assistant public information officer for Bexar County.
Such areas are more likely to freeze, but with the possibility of slick roads pretty much anywhere throughout our area, officials warn people to stay off them this weekend if possible.
If you have to drive this weekend, experts say to make sure that you have an emergency kit in your car. It should include an ice scraper, a flashlight, and jumper cables. A tire pump that plugs into the cigarette lighter outlet is also an excellent tool to keep on hand because changing temperatures can affect tire pressure.