With a major ice storm projected to hit Durham Saturday evening, the city is pre-treating roads and facilities with salt and brine and preparing shelters for people without homes, among other efforts. City departments plan to deploy at least 25 trucks and 30 staff per 12-hour shift from Saturday evening through Sunday, with work continuing into Monday as needed, according to Marvin Williams, director of public works for the Environmental and Street Services Department, at a Friday press conference.
Durhamites should monitor the city’s website at durhamnc.gov, Williams advised. Updates will also be posted to city social media channels, including Facebook, X, and Instagram, with information available in English and Spanish.
“We may get half an inch of ice, which is … pretty devastating,” Williams said. “There’s a chance of downed trees, and it’s just not going to be safe to drive at all.” If the temperature stays above 32°F, brine keeps the ice from sticking to the roads, and salt helps melt the ice. If the temperature drops below freezing, clearing roads becomes much more challenging, he said.
Falling trees could cause power losses and damage to homes. If power outages occur, residents should call Duke Energy at 1-800-POWER-ON. If trees fall on private property, homeowners are responsible for repairs.
Importantly, if downed city trees are tangled with power lines, residents should call Duke Energy to request that the power lines be severed before city staff can address the trees.
The storm could also cause changes in waste and garbage collection. Williams anticipates no trash or recycling collection on Monday, but advises residents to put their cans out at the curb just in case. The city’s Waste Disposal & Recycling Center on East Club Boulevard opens Saturday with limited hours, from 7:30-10 a.m., with anticipated closure on Monday.
With ice and possible fallen trees expected on roads, the city will prioritize clearing bridges and major thoroughfares such as Fayetteville Street, Roxboro Street, and Cornwallis Road, alongside other streets designated as “primary” and “secondary” on the city’s plowing operations map.
The state Department of Transportation typically handles maintenance of certain major Durham thoroughfares. However, with state personnel focused on maintaining interstate highways, city staff will also oversee clearing state-owned roads within Durham this weekend. If time permits, plowing may expand to residential streets.
According to Williams, the city has spent “tens of thousands of dollars over the last few months stockpiling salt and sand.” The city has also ordered additional salt for this weekend’s storm. However, the unpredictability of snow and ice in Durham complicates the process. Last January, Durham was greeted with around an inch of snow after a 1,076-day snowless streak.
Still, Williams believes Durham is prepared to respond. “I think we’ve done a pretty good job … to right-size our fleet. Each year, after we get through winter, we try to re-evaluate … our snow response plan.”
To ensure timely weather response, staff who do not reside in Durham will stay in town for the next several days, in hotels. “They’ve been out for the last several days [preparing for the ice storm],” Williams said. “Very thankful for all of them and all the dedication they have to the city.”
Williams’ biggest piece of advice? “Stay out of the weather and just allow our crews to do what they do best.”
Above: Marvin Williams, director of public works for the city’s Environmental and Street Services Department, is urging residents to stay off the roads Sunday. Photo by Lena Nguyen — The 9th Street Journal
Angela Chen
