LITTLE ROCK (12-8) – The Arkansas Department of Transportation is preparing for the possibility of winter weather in the New Year. The Maintenance Division Winter Weather Strike Team is more than 90 field personnel from the statewide striping, signing, milling and heavy bridge maintenance crews.

“These individuals are licensed Commercial Motor Vehicle drivers operating 12 multi-axle dump trucks equipped with a front and belly snowplow and a de-icing material spreader,” explained Michael Kelly, ARDOT Staff Maintenance Engineer and Emergency Management Liaison.

“The Strike Team will be performing preparedness training which includes testing safety equipment, vehicle servicing, material loading and unloading, communicating with the Emergency Operations Center (EOC), and driving assigned routes on Monday, December 13,” Kelly said.

The Strike Team will clear snow and ice from the interstates and expressways during 24-hour operations across Arkansas. The team will communicate with and receive direct support from the ARDOT EOC located at the Maintenance Division office in Little Rock.

In addition to the Strike Team, ARDOT approaches winter weather proactively by holding regular preparedness meetings and conducting tests of the winter weather features on IDriveArkansas.com.

Find additional travel information at IDriveArkansas.com or ARDOT.gov. Follow us on Twitter @IDriveArkansas for traffic and @myARDOT for everything else.

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