Tulsa Crews Prepare For Ice Storm By Pre-Treating Roads

The city of Tulsa's road crews are already pre-treating the roads with salt and brine systems along 36 routes.

The city says it has more than 210 employees working Sunday night and into the morning, which is its entire staff.

They could cover more than 1,700 lane miles, which is about the same distance as driving from Tulsa to San Francisco.

The drivers will use more than 63 trucks mounted with salt spreaders, and they have more than 6,500 tons of salt with more on the way for Monday.

Tulsa is responsible for clearing snow and ice from the Gilcrease Expressway, excluding the Turnpike section, the L.L. Tisdale Expressway, and all main arterials.

Workers say with ice, they have to get material down quicker to treat the road than with snow.

"We're just going to continue to monitor especially the certain locations that we have more trouble with. So, we actually pay more attention to those and then we will move in and attack those as needed," said City of Tulsa Public Works Operations Manager Leon Kragel.

Tulsa crews plan to work through Monday afternoon or until the weather has moved away and roads are passable.

"If you see a unit out there, back off of it and be back about 150 yards," Kragel said. "And then that way we can have the proper room to actually lay the material and watch what we're doing."

If you have to be on the road, drive slowly and leave extra room between you and other cars.