As a major winter storm approaches the region, Maryland State Highway Administration crews are working around the clock to prepare roads for what officials are calling a particularly challenging weather event.
Highway crews began storm preps on Thursday and continue pre-treating roads on Friday with salt brine solution before temperatures drop too low.
"The biggest thing here, what we want to tell people is get things done today, tomorrow, before the storm hits because it's going to be a dicey couple of days even after the storm moves out," Charlie Gischlar of the Maryland State Highway Administration said.
The storm is expected to bring not just snow, but ice and bitterly cold temperatures.
"Ice is absolutely nobody's friend, you know, so that makes the roads, and they're, you know, it's the temperatures too. The air temperatures are going to be very bitterly cold. So anything that is remaining on the highway after we push the snow is going to remain wet. It's probably going to freeze. So we're going to have to continuously treat the roadways," Gischlar said.
Highway crews will work 12-hour shifts, and operations could continue well into next week as the storm system moves through the area.
Officials are urging residents to stay home if possible during the storm. For those who must drive, authorities remind drivers to clear their entire vehicle of snow and ice and to drive slowly on winter roads.
