FORT WORTH, Texas — Texas Deportment of Transportation crews spent the last few days prepping roadways for what’s looking like historic winter weather in North Texas Sunday and Monday.
Crews worked round the clock on 12-hour shifts pretreating roads with brine solution Saturday, according to TXDOT Dallas spokesperson Danielle Boyd.
“We are in the process of closing our TEXpress managed lanes and that is so we can put our focus on the main lanes,” Boyd said Saturday afternoon.
Crews planned to stay on the lookout for trouble spots Saturday night and into Sunday morning, putting the emphasis on bridges and overpasses, which tend to freeze over first.
“We are always prepared for a winter weather event and we have the brine solution, and again we have about 184 trucks in the Dallas district that are treating the roads,” Boyd said. “If snow does fall, we have snow plows that are available. We can bring out the motor graders to clear out the snow.”
TXDOT Fort Worth has its own armada of trucks and plows ready to take care of things on the west side of the metroplex.
The North Texas Tollway Authority plans to do the same on its roadways
“We feel like we’ve done everything we can to this point,” said Michael Ray NTTA spokesperson. “We’ll continue to work overnight as long as it’s a thin glass.”
The goal is to keep at least one lane clear, said Rey. The weather heading into North Texas is making that especially challenging.
“Understand that beneath you is ice, and there’s only so much you can do in something this extreme,” said Rey.
In an effort to concentrate resources, TxDOT and LBJ/NTE/NTE3 have implemented the closing of all managed lanes currently in operation in North Texas, including the corridors operated by LBJ Express, North Tarrant Express, and NTE 35W Express, according to a spokesperson with LBJ, NTE and 35W.
No matter what kind of road it is, experts urge drivers to avoid the roads if possible.
“Stay home if you can,” Boyd said. “We do not want travelers or commuters out on the road at all with this winter weather event.”
If you must be out on the roads this weekend, TXDOT urges you to drive to the weather conditions, not the speed limit. Increase the distance between your car and the vehicle in front of you.
Avoid sudden stops and turns, which can cause your car to skid.
Click here to check road conditions: https://drivetexas.org/