OKLAHOMA CITY — Public Works crews with the City of Oklahoma City will report at midnight on Monday/Tuesday to start preparing roadways for yet another winter event. They will be watching and treating for potential freezing on bridges and overpasses along the City’s snow routes.
Trucks with salt and sand spreaders will be out looking for slick spots developing to stop them from freezing further, said Public Information Officer Kristy Yager.
“Crews plan to pretreat bridges, overpasses and snow routes on Tuesday with beet brine,” said Yager in a press release. “They will closely monitor the weather over the next few days and work overnight as needed.”
Find the Oklahoma City snow route map at okc.gov/winter.
One issue for city streets as weather changes from warm to cold is that people and businesses with lawn sprinkler systems forget to turn them off which then freezes water on nearby streets. Home and business owners are strongly encouraged to shut off their sprinkler systems during freezing temperatures.
Preparation tips
The Office of Emergency Management offers these tips and more at okc.gov/winter:
- Know the snow routes in your area. There are interactive maps on okc.gov and data.okc.gov.
- Items for winter storms to add to your disaster kit include additional non-perishable food and water for one or two weeks, extra blankets, coats, gloves, winter hats, and water-resistant boots.
- Keep your pets safe. Click this link for tips from OKC Animal Welfare.
- Keep your cellphone charged.
- Open cabinet doors below sinks and let faucets drip if temperatures remain below freezing for a day or more. Call (405) 297-3334 if your pipes burst so City crews can shut off water to your home. Click this link for more information about protecting your pipes in winter.
- Turn off your automatic sprinkler systems.
- Make sure elderly family members, friends and neighbors are prepared for the storm, and check on them during and after the storm.
- Click this link for more winter safety tips.
Driving safety tips
- Use extra caution when driving over bridges and overpasses.
- Remember that posted speed limits are only to be followed during ideal weather conditions. Slow down while driving on snow or ice.
- Give salt trucks plenty of room – stay at least 100 feet behind them so salt won’t get thrown on your car.
- Plan ahead by getting up and leaving the house earlier.
- Keep at least a three-car distance from the car in front of you.
- Steer and brake more slowly than usual.
- Keep warm shoes and clothes in your car.
- Clear all snow and ice from your vehicle before setting out.
- Proceed carefully through intersections.
- Have a plan if you slide off the road – who are you going to call?
- Don’t use your automatic speed control.
Safely use alternative heating sources
Fires at home are common in the winter because of improper use of dangerous heating sources. Here are some tips from the Fire Department:
- Make sure working smoke and carbon monoxide alarms are properly installed in your home. Alarms should be installed outside each separate sleeping area. Test your smoke alarms monthly and install fresh batteries annually.
- Give space heaters their space. Keep combustible material at least three feet away from the heater.
- Keep all combustible materials off of floor furnaces.
- Remove any combustibles from central heater closets.
- Use a metal grate to hold logs inside fireplaces.
- Use an approved metal or glass screen in front of fireplaces to prevent embers from flying out of the firebox.
- Remember to open the damper before lighting the fireplace.
- Never use your oven to heat your home.
Free Press will continue to monitor street conditions and efforts to keep them safe during winter weather.
Founder, publisher, and editor of Oklahoma City Free Press. Brett continues to contribute reports and photography to this site as he runs the business.
