Blog: City Blog

City Streets Primed for First Potential Snow of the Season

Thursday morning, City crews treated Level I and II streets like Merchant Drive (pictured) with brine solution in preparation for the first potential snow of the season. Brine is a solution that reduces the temperature at which water freezes.

When snow falls, the City systematically and predictably clears streets by following its Snow and Ice Removal Plan, which sets priorities and is updated annually. Level I streets get immediate attention, followed in order by Level II and then Level III streets:

Level I - main streets carrying the highest volume of traffic and providing access to hospitals; examples include Kingston Pike, Chapman Highway, Magnolia Avenue and Broadway
Level II - streets connecting main streets, feeder streets to connector streets, and "trouble spots" and hills; examples include Sutherland Avenue, Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and Cedar Lane
Level III - streets that provide access to neighborhoods and main connections at the neighborhood level; examples include Island Home Road, Jessamine Street, Bridgewater Road and Oglewood Avenue

Last year, City crews spread 28,000 gallons of brine and 930 tons of salt to clear the City's 470 lane miles of streets.

The Public Service Department has resources and manpower ready to deploy:

Up to 20,000 gallons of brine, which is mixed at the City's Public Works Service Center;
500 gallons of calcium chloride, used in extreme temperatures;
2,000 tons of rock salt;
23 trucks used for plowing and salting;
Six trucks used for brine application; and
Up to 75 employees as needed for storm response.

To view the City's complete snow plan, visit www.knoxvilletn.gov/snowplan. For additional winter storm information, visit www.knoxvilletn.gov/winter.

Posted by On 05 January, 2017 at 2:23 PM