If you’re heading out on the roadways Thursday night—all the major bridges have been pretreated ahead of the possibility of freezing rainfall. Conditions are expected to remain fair across the low country. The South Carolina Department of Transportation says the bridges will be safe.
Crystals of salt have been loaded onto SCDOT trucks and are ready to disperse if need be. James Law, spokesperson said, “We can’t wait until the last minute to make that decision.”
He said SCDOT crews are working 12 hour shifts Thursday night. “These trucks are loaded with a brine solution, that’s what they’ll spray on the bridges to start with.” Law added.
In the event of freezing rain—bridges would freeze before roadways. Crews sprayed the five major bridges across Charleston County to make sure that doesn’t happen. “What this does is lower the temperature where they’ll freeze from 32 to around 25, 27 degrees.” Law said.
If conditions were to get worse, “If we have any accumulation, they’ll go back and spray that salt on top of the ice on the bridges and that causes it to melt.”
Temperatures will be dropping throughout the night. Drivers are being asked to travel with caution.