NTTA Begins Brining Operations Ahead Of Potential For Ice

NORTH TEXAS (CBSDFW.COM) - North Texas overpasses, bridges and major interchanges are expected to be the most likely places we there could be problems with ice over the next couple days.

Crews with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) were out Monday pretreating roads with brine, and the North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) had workers heading out to prep toll roads on Tuesday.

At the NTTA Plano Maintenance Center, crews first checked the salt and water mixture before heading out on designated routes.

The actions on February 4 were the first large-scale brining operation this season for the NTTA.

The agency plans to deploy 28 brine trucks in the next 24 hours. By Thursday, they will have up that to 48 trucks. Crews will work 12 hour shifts and hit the most problematic areas.

If there is ice on the roads in North Texas, accidents will be inevitable. NTTA reminds drivers to give crews space to work.

Drivers are also being reminded to make sure your vehicle is prepared if you have to drive during winter weather conditions.

"Start thinking about those prevention things — check your windshield wipers, check your washer fluid and make sure you can see well. Make sure the heater works in your car. All those things are going to help," urged Matt Zavadsky, with MedStar.

Both the NTTA and TxDOT have plow trucks on standby, should significant snow or freezing rain accumulate.