TxDOT urges caution on slick roads in coming days

ABILENE, Texas — Most road conditions were okay Monday afternoon, but things are expected to get worse in the coming hours and days. With freezing temperatures and precipitation in the forecast, slick roads are expected throughout the Big Country.

"What we're encouraging is for drivers to stay off the roads if they can," said Alaisha Montanez, the Public Information Officer for the Texas Department of Transportation's Abilene District. "If they can't, prepare for safe travel."

Interstate 20, State and US highways along with heavily trafficked Farm to Market roads have been pretreated by TxDOT with a salt brine to prevent precipitation sticking.

"Once we begin to see snow or ice during an event, then one of the things that we begin doing is we start putting down a liquid, a de-icer, and this is basically used to help melt the snow and the ice and it also gives your tires a little bit of grip," said Montanez.

Although you should avoid traveling if at all possible, there are some steps you can take to minimize risk on the roads if you have to be on them.

"Plan for extra time for travel, because odds are you may get stuck behind a slow moving vehicle that's treating the road or it may simply might just be dangerous and so you need to slow down," said Montanez. "So plan for more time, always drive with caution during a winter event. Reduce your speed, use your headlights, do not set cruise control, increase your travel distance, and be really careful when braking."

You're also going to want to keep an eye out for TxDOT vehicles treating the roads.

"Move over a lane or slow down 20 miles per hour below the posted speed limit, just to keep yourself and our vehicle operators safe."

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