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DURHAM, N.C. – With winter weather predicted to begin tomorrow afternoon and last until Saturday evening, the City of Durham is busy preparing today to keep city streets operating smoothly.

The Street Maintenance Division of the City’s Department of Public Works has crews on stand-by, ready to immediately use five salt-and-sand trucks as soon as the forecasted weather begins with an additional two dump trucks on stand-by to specifically target icy “hot spots” as needed.  In addition, the department is outfitting 33 trucks with plows and loaded salt-and-sand spreaders to be ready by this afternoon to spring into action as soon as any frozen precipitation begins to fall.

“We are flexible and ready to respond to tomorrow’s predicted winter weather and, if need be, our crews are now on stand-by and ready to go to work to keep our roads as passable as possible,” said Katie Kalb, director of the City’s Department of Public Works.  “We are following weather reports carefully and we will be ready to immediately respond if necessary.”

To further prepare for tomorrow’s forecast, City employees will begin today distributing a salt-brine solution on high-traffic bridges and overpasses throughout the city limits as well as in the downtown area.  Salt-brine solution is a salt and water mix that is sprayed onto the roadway surfaces before snow and ice begins to fall, helping to prevent accumulation from bonding to the road surface. 

“We are pre-treating certain high-traffic roads throughout the city,” said Michael Balzarano, superintendent of the Street Maintenance Division of the City’s Department of Public Works.  “We hope that the combination of the salt-brine solution and salt-and-sand trucks we have ready to roll will keep our roadways passable.”

The City’s plan of action for clearing or reducing hazards on city streets is prioritized in the following order:
     • Bridges and overpasses throughout the city.
     • Major arterial streets within the city.
     • Streets to essential health facilities, police and fire stations and critical community facilities.
     • Routes to two City fuel sites.
     • Streets within the central business district.
     • Clear access to Durham Public Schools.
     • All residential areas with priority initially to passage of emergency vehicles and then to all traffic.

Residents and property owners are responsible for snow and ice removal in their driveways, apartment access roads, parking lots and sidewalks.  The clearing of private streets is the responsibility of the homeowners within that subdivision.  In order to facilitate snow and ice removal on city streets, residents can help by adhering to the following tips:
     • Stay off the roads if at all possible.  If you must drive, be sure you have good all-weather tires or chains.
     • If at all possible, park your car off the street or highway to let salt-and-sand spreaders pass with ease.
     • If your problem is a life-or-death emergency, call 911.

Durham residents are also reminded to be careful of downed power lines and should report them to Duke Energy at 1-800-POWERON (1-800-769-3766) or in Spanish at 1-866-4APAGON (1-866-427-2466).

To report downed trees on city streets, contact the Durham Emergency Communications Center Non-Emergency line at (919) 560-4600 unless the downed tree presents an immediate, life-threatening hazard; then motorists should call 911.

Finally, the Durham Police Department advises motorists to treat intersections with malfunctioning traffic lights as four-way stops and proceed with caution.

For additional information on other City services, facilities, or programs that may be affected by the predicted winter weather, contact Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200, visit the City’s Web site at www.durhamnc.gov or tune into DTV8 either on Time Warner Cable channel 8 or online at www.durhamnc.gov/dtv8.