KNOXVILLE — With winter weather expected to arrive in East Tennessee over the next few days, the Tennessee Department of Transportation (TDOT) will be ready to clear roads of ice and snow when the time comes.
“In East Tennessee, we typically get our fair share of inclement weather during the winter months,” said TDOT Regional Director/Assistant Chief Engineer Steve Borden. “This is something we prepare for all year long. We are in good shape in terms of salt supplies and equipment. Our crews work every day to keep motorists safe and will continue to do so during this winter weather event.”
TDOT crews have been pre-treating East Tennessee’s interstates and state routes with salt brine, a salt/water mixture used before a winter storm. Salt brine can be used to melt snow when temperatures are around freezing. Crews apply salt once snow collects on our roadways.
In Region 1 (East Tennessee), TDOT has 212 Salt Trucks, 99 Brine Trucks, 68,450 tons of Bulk Salt, 302,772 gallons of Salt Brine and 31 Salt Bins available for use. TDOT strongly encourages drivers to prepare to stay off the roads on Friday, Jan. 10 for their own safety and the safety of our workers. This gives our crews the room they need to do their jobs.