The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet is using anti-icing pre-treatments on the roadways as part of their winter maintenance program.

Anti-icing measures take place before a precipitation event, such as black ice, to prevent the formation or development of bonded snow and ice on the road surface. Anti-icing chemicals are applied in liquid form (brine) to road surfaces before a snow or ice storm is predicted.

Research has shown that timely applications of anti-icing materials can cut the cost of maintaining a safe road surface by 90 percent over the cost of deicing.

Anti-icing returns road surfaces to normal faster, resulting in fewer accidents and delays. Salt needs moisture to be effective, applying brine jumpstarts the melting process. Brine sticks to the road surface and will not be as easily blown off the road by wind or traffic so material is more efficiently used. If the storm is delayed, salt residue remains on the road ready to begin work when precipitation begins.

Crews can begin treatment in advance of a storm because anti-icing prevents the bonding of snow and ice to pavement. Snow fighters have less work to maintain safe roadways as the storm progresses. Increased efficiency results in less deicer, manpower in less overtime costs and operator fatigue, therefore lowering the cost of maintaining safe road conditions. The use of deicing materials also minimizes environmental concerns.

Motorists may be wondering what is on the surface of our roadways when they see visible lines. Kentucky Transportation Cabinet crews use anti-icing materials in the form of salt brine during the months in which travel is most often affected by unpredictable weather and related events. Transportation Cabinet employees are prepared to react to emergency situations no matter when they occur.

The most heavily traveled roadways are the first priorities during snow removal, less traveled roads are cleared as quickly as possible. You can find your county's snow and ice priority map on-line at http://transportation.ky.gov/Maintenance/.

Road condition reports for major routes in Kentucky are available by calling 511 or by logging on to the 511 travel and traffic information website at http://511.ky.gov. Road conditions are described in the following manner:

Wet Pavement The roadway is wet. Ice could form as the temperature drops.

Partly Covered The roadway is partly covered with snow, slush or ice. Markings may be obscured.

Mostly Covered The roadway is mostly covered with snow, slush, or ice. Roadway markers may be difficult to see because of packed snow and rutting conditions.

Completely Covered The roadway is completely covered with snow, slush, or ice. Markings are obscured.

Impassable Roadway conditions are not suitable for travel unless required by an emergency.