Stay home and let the snow fighters handle it.
That’s the advice of the Kentucky Department of Highways as a massive winter storm promises to blanket the northeast region in heavy snow this weekend.
Highway crews in Bath, Boyd, Carter, Elliott, Fleming, Greenup, Lewis, Mason, Nicholas and Rowan counties will report for duty beginning at 8 a.m. Sunday morning with all salt trucks and snow plows ready to roll.
The National Weather Service expects 3 to 8 inches of snow to fall through Monday morning with locally higher amounts in heavier snow bands Sunday afternoon when snowfall rates could exceed 1 inch per hour. Visibility could be limited.
Plow trucks will stay on the road throughout the storm. But, with continuous precipitation expected for more than 24 hours, snow will pile up behind plows.
It’s likely roads will remain snow covered until after the storm is over. Motorists should limit travel – if you don’t have to be on the roads, stay home and give plow crews the time and space needed to get them clear.
If you must travel during the storm, be mindful of changing road conditions – again, snow will pile up between plow passes – and drive carefully: Take it slow, keep safe distances between vehicles and plows, and give yourself plenty of time to reach destinations safely. Monitor traffic conditions at GoKY.ky.gov online or use Waze.
In addition, the snow is expected to be wet and heavy – with possibly some light ice – which could bring down trees and utility lines. Crews will respond with chainsaws when and where possible, but residents should be prepared for power outages.
During winter storms, Kentucky Department of Highways District 9 crews are assigned 12-hour shifts to plow and treat more than 2,000 miles of northeast Kentucky roads on a priority basis – part of the Transportation Cabinet’s mission to keep state highways passable and maintain mobility along critical corridors.
Priority A routes include critical state routes and those most heavily traveled such as interstates and main roads between counties or to hospitals, which receive the highest priority for snow-clearing efforts. Priority B and C routes include other important but lesser-traveled state routes.
Visit http://SnowKY.ky.gov for more information, including maps of priority routes.
(provided by Kentucky Transportation Cabinet)
