MERCER COUNTY W.Va. – Winter weather is impacting the two Virginias and there’s a possibility the area could see more snow with the possibility of ice as we head into next week.
As a result we’re checking in with the West Virginia Division of Highways District 10 office to see how they’re preparing for what’s to come.
Officials with the WVDOH say they have crews working around the clock to try and keep roadways passable. As always, they tell us that crews will work to clear the higher traffic roads first like interstates.
They then work their way down to two lane roads and county routes. People are being encouraged to give crews plenty of room to work.
You should avoid crowding snow plows and try to stay at least 100 feet back from them. Crews will be treating roadways with salt and abrasives.
“If it’s really icy on our U.S. 52 or Route 20 sometimes we’ll adjust the salt, stone ratio depending on how icy it is. Most of the time salt on all the interstates and U.S. 460, if you put enough salt down it’s going to melt,” said Joshua Anderson, deputy district engineer for District 10.
So far, this winter season the WVDOH in District 10 which includes Mercer, McDowell, Raleigh and Wyoming Counties has used more than 10,000 tons to treat roadways in the district.
In Virginia first priority for roadways goes to primary highways. Once those are clear they move to secondar roads which are routes numbered 600 and above.
Motorists are encouraged to use West Virginia and Virginia’s 511 road conditions map.
511 cell phone apps can be downloaded for each state or you can view Virginia’s 511 map here and West Virginia’s here.
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