With the area having been under the first winter weather
advisory of the season late Monday into early this morning, the Kentucky
Transportation Cabinet’s District 8 office in Somerset says they stand ready
for any upcoming winter weather duty with more than 22,000 tons of salt on
hand. That salt combined with more than 80 snowplows, salt spreaders and other
equipment is ready when called upon in Russell and surrounding counties that
make up District 8.
During this latest event, crews reported for duty at
midnight and were treating roadways as necessary.
When bad weather hits, crews are assigned 12-hour shifts to
plow and treat roads using a priority system based on the amount and nature of
traffic within each county. Priority A routes include major through routes and
are those most heavily traveled. Priority B routes include other important, but
lesser traveled, state routes while other roads fall into Priority C.