Fort Worth is preparing for potential winter weather at the start of next week, with the city about to start treating streets with brine.
NBC 5 got an inside look at how the process works – and what drivers need to know.
Watch NBC 5 free wherever you are
WATCH HEREAcross Fort Worth, TxDOT trucks have already been treating highways and I-35W with brine.
With severe cold and a chance of precipitation in the forecast, the city has begun taking its own steps to protect streets.
Get top local stories in DFW delivered to you every morning with NBC DFW's News Headlines newsletter.
SIGN UP When the roads could get dicey due to winter conditions, the city turns to its supply of more than 800 tons of salt.
“And we have about 4,000 tons of sand stockpiled citywide,” said Lane Zarate, Assistant Operations Manager with the city of Fort Worth.
Together the salt and sand are mixed with water to form brine, the substance sprayed on roads to keep them from freezing during winter storms.
Local
The latest news from around North Texas.
“It can be pretreated very far in advance,” said Zarate. “It doesn’t matter whether you put it down four days in advance or two days in advance for it to be effective.”
On Friday, Fort Worth planned to start treating the area around hospitals and other emergency zones, with crews planning to be active on streets across the city from Monday night into Tuesday morning.
NBC 5’s Weather Experts said these treatments, while effective, could come with a drawback for drivers: long exposure to brine can damage the paint and undercarriage of your car.
The city said after the storm, there was a simple solution.
“I would say a car wash is a good idea,” said Zarate. “But we would always put as our priority the safety of our roads.”
