NCDOT shortages could mean roads take longer to clear of snow, ice
Surging COVID numbers are causing staffing shortages nearly everywhere, even among those who would clear the roads of ice and snow
The North Carolina Department of Transportation is working to brine the roads ahead of the weekend's forecasted snow and ice. However, the agency is asking for the public's patience dealing with potential delays after Sunday's storm.
The NC DOT has the lowest vaccination rate in state government.
Like a lot of employers, even before the COVID pandemic hit, the agency had problems with job vacancies. About 30% of positions in the Triangle area are unfilled.
Now, with COVID and quarantine taking an additional toll on what’s left of their roster, the DOT is warning drivers that clearing the roads after Sunday’s storm, if needed, may take longer than usual.
"The reality is we may not be able to respond as fast," said Marty Homan with the DOT. "We're encouraging people to be prepared do what they need to do ahead of time."
He encourages people to stay inside on Sunday and Monday and not travel unless absolutely necessary.
He says the DOT will be relying heavily on contract crews to cover the absences.
They started brining the roads earlier than usual, with trucks already on the roads Thursday morning ahead of the storm, which is predicted to hit Sunday.
"We expect the whole area to potentially be impacted. We want to get everything, so we're starting early to do that," he said.
It'll also give them time to switch their trucks from putting down brine -- which is a mix of salt and chemicals that keeps snow and ice from sticking -- to hooking up snow plows and preparing to spread salt after the storm.
Homan says since there is little to no rain in the forecast before the storm, the brine should last long enough to keep any ice from sticking to the road.
He's asking drivers to please give the brine trucks room to do their jobs. They’re hoping to finish prepping all the interstates in the area by the end of the day Friday.
