Created: 12/20/2009 7:24:56 AM 
North Carolina-- Saturday the Department of Transportation crews made significant progress on major highways as they work to clear roads hit by heavy snow and ice during Friday's winter storm. Across most of the affected areas, particularly in the mountains, interstates and primary highways are mostly clear, enabling crews to turn their efforts to secondary roads.
However, on I-40 and I-26 in the Asheville area, where a number of vehicles were abandoned on the roadway Friday night after becoming stuck in traffic or running out of fuel, NCDOT crews and the NC Highway Patrol are still clearing vehicles off the roadway. Motorists on those routes are urged to proceed very carefully because of the cars still there and workers who are on the road clearing the vehicles.
Gallery: VIEW WINTER WEATHER PICTURES
As much as two feet of snow fell in several mountain counties, taking down trees and power lines, and making secondary roads impassable in many locations. Nearly 60 NCDOT workers from Division 8 (Lee, Moore, Randolph, Chatham, Hoke, Montgomery, Richmond and Scotland counties) and Division 10 (Mecklenburg, Stanly, Cabarrus, Anson and Union counties) are arriving in the affected areas to provide assistance, as are 10 workers from the N.C. Forestry Service and six contract crews. More NCDOT staff members from other divisions are on standby if needed. In addition to the manpower, the NCDOT crews are bringing equipment such as motor graders, dump trucks, backhoes and tree-cutting gear. They will assist workers in Buncombe, Burke, Yancey and McDowell counties.
Clearing out downed trees and opening up secondary roads is a prime goal, as utility crews need to get into the affected neighborhoods to restore power. Chainsaw crews getting the trees off the roads need to be cautious in their work as downed wires could still be live in some cases. Because of that, residents of the affected areas are asked to stay away from the downed trees and power poles until the area is cleared out by NCDOT and power crews. Once the wires are out of the way, then plowing crews can get in and work on the roads.
Crews in other sections of the state hit by the storm were also able to make major progress today and for the most part started clearing secondary roads. In many areas, crews will remain on standby tonight and into Sunday to handle any reports of icy patches developing. While many of the roads are now clear, motorists need to remain cautious because of the possibility of black ice forming during the night. Winter driving safety tips for motorists are attached.
Although the Outer Banks did not get any of the snow or ice, the major storm which turned into a blizzard as it went northeast is making its presence known. NC Highway 12, recently rebuilt after being damaged by a previous major storm, was closed Saturday during the morning high tide as sand and water came over the highway in the areas of Pea Island, Village of Rodanthe and Kitty Hawk. NCDOT crews were on the scene to clean the road and get it open again
NCDOT
