MDOT Prepares for Another Round of Winter Weather

JACKSON, MISS., Monday, December 9, 2013— The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a freezing rain advisory for much of North Mississippi and portions of the Mississippi Delta. Icy conditions could occur overnight in Bolivar, Calhoun, Carroll, DeSoto, Grenada, Itawamba, Lafayette, Leflore, Lee, Monroe, Montgomery, Panola, Pontotoc, Prentiss, Quitman, Sunflower, Tallahatchie, Tate, Tippah, Tishomingo, Tunica, Union, Washington, Webster and Yalobusha counties.

· MDOT is monitoring weather conditions in North Mississippi for icy conditions on roadways and bridges.

· MDOT encourages the traveling public to pay attention to weather and travel advisories issued by the National Weather Service, local law enforcement and the Mississippi Highway Patrol.

· While MDOT will make every effort to keep roads and bridges passable when using extreme caution, only emergency travel is recommended in affected areas.

· MDOT reminds motorists who must travel in areas affected by this winter weather event to buckle up for safety, drive safely, stay alert and slow down, especially when driving in winter weather conditions.

· MDOT is prepared for the possibility of winter weather affecting road conditions as the temperatures fall overnight.

· MDOT crews will be patrolling the state’s interstates and highways, especially elevated bridges, during the evening and night for ice accumulation and loss of traction.

· MDOT is fueling up trucks, inspecting snow plows, loading salt spreaders and sharpening chainsaws in preparation for first response to any winter weather conditions.

· If accumulation is reported on a bridge or roadway, MDOT crews will dispatch equipment trucks to the location of accumulation and spread de-icing materials (a mixture of sand, slag and salt) in those areas.

· The public is asked to report patches of ice accumulation that could impact traffic to local law enforcement agencies.

· For more information on how weather is affecting travel conditions in the state and to sign up for travel alerts, visit www.MDOTtraffic.com, “like” MDOT on Facebook at www.facebook.com/MississippiDOT, follow MDOT on Twitter at www.twitter.com/MississippiDOT or download the MDOT Traffic app in the Google Play or Apple App stores or call us at 601-359-7074.