[Durham INC] Durham Prepared for Weekend Winter Weather Forecast

[Blalock, Amy]

CITY OF DURHAM

Office of Public Affairs

101 City Hall Plaza

Durham, NC 27701

 

 

News Release

 

For Details, Contact:

Amy Blalock

Sr. Public Affairs Specialist

(919) 560-4123 x 11253

(919) 475-7735 (cell)

Amy.Blalock at durhamnc.gov

 

For Immediate Release:  December 23, 2010

 

Durham Prepared for Weekend Winter Weather Forecast

Motorists Urged to Use Extra Caution Driving Saturday and Sunday

 

DURHAM, N.C. - With winter precipitation predicted to begin on Saturday,
the City of Durham is busy preparing now to keep city streets operating
smoothly.

 

The Street Maintenance Division of the City's Department of Public Works
has crews on stand-by, ready to report for duty on Saturday and Sunday
if needed. The City has five salt-and-sand trucks dedicated to bridges
and one salt-and-sand truck dedicated to downtown ready to roll as soon
as the forecasted weather begins. In addition, the department has
outfitted 32 trucks with plows and loaded salt-and-sand spreaders to be
ready to spring into action if needed as soon as any frozen
precipitation begins to fall. "We are flexible and ready to respond to
this weekend's predicted winter weather to keep our roads as passable as
possible," said Michael Balzarano, superintendent of the Street
Maintenance Division of the City's Department of Public Works. "We are
following weather reports carefully and we will be ready to immediately
respond if necessary."

 

To further prepare for this weekend's forecast, City employees began
yesterday distributing a salt-brine solution on high-traffic roadways,
including bridges and overpasses, throughout the city limits as well as
in the downtown area. Salt-brine solution is a salt and water mix that
is sprayed onto the roadway surfaces before snow and ice begins to fall,
helping to prevent accumulation from bonding to the road surface. "We
have pre-treated high-traffic roads and bridges throughout the city,"
Balzarano said. "We hope that the combination of the salt-brine solution
and salt-and-sand trucks we have ready to roll will keep our roadways
passable."

 

The City's Department of General Services has also pre-treated critical
walking surfaces with salt, including the sidewalks around City Hall,
Durham Police Department Headquarters, Durham Station Transportation
Center, Durham Convention Center, SunTrust Plaza, Five Points, the
entrances and exits to the City's downtown parking garages, and the
sidewalks leading to the Durham Performing Arts Center.

 

The City's plan of action for clearing or reducing hazards on city
streets is prioritized in the following order:

*         Bridges and overpasses throughout the city.

*         Major arterial streets within the city.

*         Streets to essential health facilities, police and fire
stations and critical community facilities.

*         Routes to two City fuel sites.

*         Streets within the central business district.

*         Clear access to Durham Public Schools.

*         All residential areas with priority initially to passage of
emergency vehicles and then to all traffic.

 

Residents and property owners are responsible for snow and ice removal
in their driveways, apartment access roads, parking lots, and sidewalks.
The clearing of private streets is the responsibility of the homeowners
within that subdivision. In order to facilitate snow and ice removal on
city streets, residents can help by adhering to the following tips:

*         Stay off the roads if at all possible.  If you must drive, be
sure you have good all-weather tires or chains.

*         If at all possible, park your car off the street or highway to
let salt-and-sand spreaders pass with ease.

*         If your problem is a life-or-death emergency, call 911.

 

Durham residents are also reminded to be careful of downed power lines
and should report them to Duke Energy at 1-800-POWERON (1-800-769-3766)
or in Spanish at 1-866-4APAGON (1-866-427-2466). To report downed trees
on city streets, contact the Durham Emergency Communications Center
Non-Emergency line at (919) 560-4600 unless the downed tree presents an
immediate, life-threatening hazard; then motorists should call 911. 

 

Finally, the Durham Police Department advises motorists to treat
intersections with malfunctioning traffic lights as four-way stops and
proceed with caution. The department is also urging motorists to not
drive unless absolutely necessary. If residents must drive, motorists
should drive very slowly and carefully. If involved in a property damage
wreck, motorists should pull off the road to prevent additional
accidents and remember that it may take some additional time for an
officer to respond to the accident due to icy road conditions.

 

For additional information on other City services, facilities, or
programs that may be affected by the predicted winter weather, contact
Durham One Call at (919) 560-1200, visit the City's website at 
www.DurhamNC.gov or tune into DTV8 either on Time Warner Cable channel 8
or online at www.DurhamNC.gov/DTV8. 

 

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