The West Virginia Division of Highways is ready to clear roadways of ice and snow, according to a press release from the agency.
Salt supplies are stockpiled in all 55 counties in preparation for this weekend’s expected snow storm, and crews have readied snowplows. Forecast models indicate a significant winter weather event, and motorists are encouraged to stay off the roads.
WVDOH road crews will pretreat roads where possible prior to expected snowfall to both get a jump on the coming storm and make it harder for snow to stick and easier to remove snow from the roads.
The WVDOH has approximately 1,000 snowplows available statewide. In addition, the WVDOH operates snow blowers and road graders for snow removal and ice control (SRIC) in higher elevations. Drivers conduct dry runs prior to SRIC season to become completely familiar with their routes.
The WVDOH began the season with 186,116.87 tons of salt and 145,949.31 gallons of salt brine. Supplies can be replenished as necessary.
Weather models predict the possibility of six to 12 inches of snowfall across much of the Mountain State from Saturday, January 24, through Monday morning, January 26. While the mission of the WVDOH is to make roads passable for cautious travel, such heavy snowfall could make travel hazardous. The WVDOH urges drivers to stay off the roads this weekend unless travel is absolutely necessary, hunker down and wait for SRIC crews to do their jobs.
All roads maintained by the WVDOH fit into one of four priorities and are addressed as storm conditions dictate. Once priority 1 routes are accessible, they move to priority 2 and 3 routes. As snow returns, they return to the priority 1 routes.
- Priority 1 routes include Interstate, Expressway, National Highway System and all other United States and West Virginia routes. Some Priority 1 routes also include high-traffic county routes.
- Priority 2 routes are all other school bus routes that are not considered Priority 1.
- Priority 3 routes are the remaining routes, not including park and forest routes.
- Priority 4 routes are park and forest routes.
As the men and women of the WVDOH are out on the highways clearing snow and ice, the agency urges drivers to maintain a safe distance of at least 200 feet behind a working snowplow and never try to pass snowplows working the roads side by side.
