Another winter storm is in the forecast, but it comes with its own set of unique challenges.
“What we’re going to have the next 24 - 48 hours is going to be something like a merry-go-round here with our weather, " said Beverly Watts, director of public services in Wayne County.
Just a few days ago, the region was blanketed with snow, white-out conditions and multiple car pile ups. Wednesday was a stark contrast as temperatures hit high 40s and snow began to melt. As another winter storm approaches, Craig Bryson at the road commission for Oakland County said there are some challenges.
“We can’t put salt down, it just gets washed off the roads so the biggest challenge is to really monitor closely and try to be there at that moment when it turns from rain to freezing rain and sleet,” said Bryson.
The back and forth between warm and cold has been hard on the roads and this storm could make it worse.
“You have the weather warming up, the ground is thawing out just a little bit, just enough to let the water seep into the roads , then it freezes, the water expands and anywhere where there’s cracks in the roads we’re likely to see a lot of potholes,” Bryson said.
Wayne, Oakland and Macomb counties said while they are dealing with what’s to come they are racing against the clock to patch as many potholes as they can before the storm begins.
“We do our checkpoints on our trucks, we’re making sure everything is filled up. We also have our materials for other crews that are out doing coal patching,” Watts said.
While driving conditions will be less than ideal, Diane Cross of Michigan Department of Transportation, said drivers still need to do their part.
“Drivers have to drive to the road conditions, even if they don’t like them. They have to drive to them, that is their responsibility on the road,” Cross said.
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