Workers prep roads for winter

In the same week that saw heat records broken around the Midstate, some local residents were surprised to see the tell-tale warning sign of impending snow, that being the spreading of brine on the highways by state trucks.

Motorists heading to work Friday were greeted by the familiar glaze of brine, a liquid pre-treatment used on the roads to help keep them clear of ice and snow. While such coatings are nothing new for January, the fact the treatment was being placed on roads just two days after the mercury hit a record 70 degrees had some local residents wondering if the state highway department had jumped the gun.

However, a spokesman for the state revealed the precautionary measure was taken because there was snow in the forecast over the weekend. Lows were forecast for the low 30s through the weekend with some rain.

Brine, it was explained, is placed on the road as a coating prior to a snowfall and therefore its application is dependent on forecasts. Spraying the highways with brine has been found to be effective in preventing heavy ice buildups. However, it has to be done before the actual snow and ice begins so it can take hold on the highway. A different mix of salt is generally used to de-ice roads after the fact.

State officials note it is better to be safe than sorry when deciding whether to apply the pre-coat of brine, which takes several hours to apply to the many miles of state roads across the county.