NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — In a battle against Mother Nature, Tennessee road crews have been working tirelessly throughout the day.
They have combated not only the initial snowfall but also the continuous challenge of more snow accumulating on top of plowed roads.
Despite their continuous efforts, crews are facing an uphill battle as the snowfall shows no signs of letting up until late Monday in parts of Middle Tennessee.
The Tennessee Department of Transportation has declared its main priority to be clearing the snow off interstates and main roads. Traffic along the interstates was moving smoothly, with drivers taking necessary precautions to navigate the wintry conditions.
Andrew Hutchinson was out driving in Wilson County when he came across a wreck and decided to help.
"The ground is still quite cold. You're not going to have melt-off, and there's a bit of ice under the pack, so even once you start digging down, you're still going to get traction," Hutchinson said.
The workload for snow removal crews has been substantial over the past couple of days, and TDOT assures the public that their efforts will persist until the weather system is over.
The primary focus remains on the interstates, where crews are diligently plowing and salting to maintain safe driving conditions.
One notable challenge faced by the crews is the effectiveness of salt in extremely low temperatures.
In light of the challenging conditions, authorities urge residents to stay home if possible, allowing road crews the necessary space and time to plow and address hazardous areas.
The combination of heavy snowfall and increased traffic has led to a surge in accidents, further stretching the resources of the TDOT crews.
A spokesperson from TDOT highlighted the correlation between traffic volume and accidents, emphasizing the strain it puts on their resources.
If you have to be on the roads take it slow.
"At least four-wheel drive, all-wheel drive. Front-wheel drive might not be too bad if you just take your time. That's the biggest thing — traction is everything. Spinning is bad. You know, just like in life, if you lose traction, you lose control," said Hutchinson.
From 6 a.m. to noon, officers responded to three injury crash calls and more than 20 non-injury calls just in Nashville.
I LOVE Forrest's stories on the history of NewsChannel 5 as we celebrate our 70th anniversary. Here's a story I wasn't familiar with until recently. Eudora Boxley had a live cooking show in the early days of the station. She may have been the first black on air at NewsChannel 5 and perhaps, one of the first African Americans to have a TV cooking show anywhere in the country. It wasn't until her grandson reached out to me that I even heard of Ms. Boxley. Thankfully, I was able to connect him with Forest to learn more about this great nugget in NewsChannel 5 history.
-Lelan Statom
