NDOT reduces salt use and focuses on plowing as winds pick up

NDOT says high winds make salt and brine less effective, prompting a shift toward plowing and monitoring drift-prone areas.

Crews are reducing highway treatments to let snow blow across instead of sticking and creating packed ice.

Teams will continue adjusting throughout the day to keep roads as safe and passable as possible.

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

NDOT crews have been working since last night and early this morning, treating roads with salt and brine ahead of worsening conditions. But as wind speeds climb, those treatments become far less effective.

The agency says they’re now shifting strategies — watching trouble spots closely and focusing on areas where snow is drifting or packing down.

“Once the winds get strong enough, salt and brine can’t stay in place long. We start treating l