TxDOT crews prepare North Texas roads for wintry mix expected this week

TxDOT crews preparing North Texas roads for wintry mix expected this week

Officials are asking drivers to give the crews extra time and space as they do their best to keep our roads as safe as possible.

DALLAS - Texas Department of Transportation crews will be busy this week trying to keep the roads safe during the winter weather.

Freezing temperatures and storms with precipitation are in the forecast for Monday through Wednesday.

"And it looks like there’s going to be more of a chance of some freezing rain, and snow and ice," said Tony Hartzel, with TxDOT.

TxDOT got a head start on treating the roads.

"We’ve been pre-treating the roads already. We started on Friday when it was fairly warm and sunny," Hartzel said. "We were treating a lot of the bridges and overpasses, but now we’re going to be treating all of the main lanes of our major roadways."

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For now, TxDOT is treating roads with a brine solution, which keeps ice and snow from sticking to roadways. If there is accumulation, it has additional plans.

"We’ll go to brine, but we can also use a salt and sand mixture as well," Hartzel added.

Crews will be rotating shifts starting at noon Monday so that TxDOT can respond at any hour.

Drivers are urged to pay close attention to road conditions, especially on bridges and overpasses.

"Don’t drive to the speed limit necessarily, just drive to the conditions. Take your time and you’ll get there," said Sabrina Ridgway, a North Texas resident. "Don’t speed and be aware of your surroundings."

Ridgway added that she enjoys winter weather, as long as she doesn’t have to be out and about in it.

For now, she feels prepared.

"But this is Texas, so you never know what to expect in Texas," she said.