TDOT, Putnam County Ready For Winter Weather

The Putnam County Highway Department will be ready for any winter weather that hits the area.

Putnam County Road Supervisor Randy Jones said the department has about 1,100 tons of salt ready to use.

“We’ve been fortunate this year that mother nature has spared us several storms,” Jones said. “I’m pleased with that because we haven’t had to use any salt so far and that’s a good thing because it saves money and it’s a lot better on the roads if we don’t have to use any salt.”

The Tennessee Department of Transportation will also be out in full force this evening. Spokeswoman Jennifer Flynn said crews began putting brine down earlier today.

“We’ve been focusing on the priority routes and mountain routes and our priority routes would be interstates and larger state routes,” Flynn said. “Our crews have checked the trucks and they will be fueled up, loaded up with salt, and ready to go.”

Flynn said state crews will be placing a light coat of salt on the wet roads just before the temperature begins to hit freezing this evening.

Jones said his department doesn’t have brine, meaning crews will begin salting the roads once the rain changes over to snow.

“If we put salt out before it quits raining it doesn’t do any good,” Jones said. “We are going to be waiting until it changes over.”

Jones said the county has a total of five salt trucks, which requires crews to focus on specific areas when the snow begins.

“We usually hit the higher elevations first because the temperature is a little colder and it usually starts sticking there first,” Jones said. “We also focus on the dangerous intersections and major roads in the county.”

Jones said all the trucks have been checked and loaded up in preparations for the incoming weather.

The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory for much of the Upper Cumberland from Monday night into Tuesday. Snowfall estimates range from one to two inches in Cookeville, Livingston, and Smithville, up to three inches in Crossville.