SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WXYZ) — It’s been a busy winter for metro Detroit road crews who are preparing yet again for what could be another slick commute.
“We've actually used more salt at this point in the season this year than any of the last three years,” said Craig Bryson, senior communications manager for the Road Commission for Oakland County.
According to Bryson, 40,000 tons of salt have been laid so far this year in Oakland County, with more of it set to be laid overnight.
"It's probably going to be a messy morning rush hour," Bryson said. "It's a real good chance we’ll have some ice before temperatures warm up. We will be out salting, but also some of that slush, freezing rain, snow, will refreeze and turn back into ice.”
Bryson says crews during the day pre-treated overpasses and freeway ramps with liquid brine. At night, 70 to 80 crews will be called back in an hour before the storm hits, growing to more than 100 crews on Oakland County roadways by 2 a.m.
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Wayne County is also preparing, even having their forestry crew on standby to move any potential downed trees and branches, knowing ice buildup could be the biggest threat.
“When there's snow, even if it's a half inch or a trace of snow, that's enough to make the roads slick and slippery,” said Wayne County Deputy Director of Public Services Scott Cabautan. “If the road looks shiny and it's not wet, you're probably on black ice.”
Robert Wolff was out driving Wednesday evening before the storm and was well aware of the weather advisory. He says icy conditions can sometimes be the most dangerous.
“Oh yes, most definitely. You don't have the traction, you don't have the stopping distance you would have on dry pavement,” Wolff said. “I've been on the freeways during the winter time when the storms have been bad and all that stuff — it's not worth the risk.”
While road crews say they’ll be out doing what they can, they warn that ice may be hard to see and urge all drivers to do their part and slow down.
"The ice does tend to be a bit more dangerous because it's hard to see, it's hard to tell,” Bryson said. "You get one car that loses control, it could lead to a multicar accident and we are trying to do everything we can to prevent that.”
