Drivers Warned About Possible Icy Conditions
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Freezing rain could pose a problem for the Monday morning commute.
Rochelle Ritchie has more on the warning from officials with the Maryland State Highway Administration.
State highway officials are advising people to stay off the roads and to stay home Monday.
Across Maryland, salt domes are full and ready to go in preparation for icy conditions that could make the morning commute treacherous.
"This is going to be an ice storm that's going to hit the region. That's the worst of the worst," said Charlie Gischlar, Maryland State Highway Administration.
Crews plan to pre-treat the roads ahead of the storm.
"The salt brine solution is sprayed onto the roadway and allowed to dry and it leaves a film of salt behind," said Gischlar. "And what that does is prevent the initial bonding of snow and ice. So that gives us a leg up on the storm."
Officials with the State Highway Administration say because the temperature of the pavement is still well below freezing, any precipitation that falls from the sky is going to be a major problem.
"We would like people to delay their commute or take off altogether. It's going to be dangerous outside and our crews need all the space they can to effectively and efficiently treat the highways," Gischlar said.
Officials say if you have to go into work Monday, they encourage you to take public transportation.
"With last Tuesday's morning rush hour storm still fresh in our memories, we're again strongly advising motorists to avoid or delay driving Monday morning to give our crews the time and room they need to safely clear the roads," said SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters. "With pavement temperatures below freezing, any overnight or early morning precipitation will likely cause icy conditions – making driving extremely dangerous. Consider taking transit or working from home while we take care of making the roads safe for travel."
Drivers can view the latest road conditions at www.roads.maryland.gov.
WJZ will be on the air early starting at 4:30 a.m. Monday morning.
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