KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Knoxville public service crews have been bringing the roads all day Sunday prepping for the snow that's expected to come on Monday.
"Our public service crews have been out here since four-thirty in the morning," Knoxville Mayor Indya Kincannon said. "Getting ready to brine all of our level one and two streets."
Mayor Kincannon said that a focus is being placed on those who are unhoused during the storm, to make sure they have a place to keep warm.
"Need to take care of safety for people moving around the city but also for those who don't have homes," she said. "So, we have for the first time this year thanks to the joint office of housing stability, we are coordinating efforts with faith-based organizations."
Chad Weth has been in charge of bringing efforts Sunday and said what scares him most is the expected frigid temperatures.
"The biggest thing is the cold temps," Weth said. "I've been doing this awhile so if you get a lot of snow and it's 30 degrees, it's not as bad as if you get a little bit of snow but it's 10 degrees. So, when temperatures get as cold as it's predicted to be, it's really hard to get rid of it."
Weth said the preparedness that has been going on since November should help maintain the first few hours of snowfall in Knoxville. Then, it's about keeping up with the snow.
"What brine does is it lowers the freezing point of water so the first inch or so that falls on the roads will melt away pretty quickly with the brine and then after that when the snow really sticks, we'll go to traditional salt methods," he said.
When it comes to treating city roads, the city of Knoxville has a priority system in place. Level One roads are the first to be treated, which includes the busiest main roads in the city like Kingston Pike as well as priority roads used by EMS and first responders. Level Two roads are the next to be treated, which includes feeder roads that connect to main roads as well as "trouble spots" that are more likely to be impacted by snow, such as roads on hills. Level Three roads are the last to be treated and include everything else not mentioned here, such as neighborhood and back roads.
You can find an extensive list of roads in Knoxville and what priority they get at this link from the city of Knoxville's snow plan.
Kincannon said Knoxville's main mission is to keep everyone safe during this winter storm.
"We don't want anyone to be outside in this cold weather," Kincannon said.
Along with places like KARM in downtown Knoxville, here's a list of churches that will be opening as warming shelters from the city of Knoxville:
- Cokesbury Church
- 9919 Kingston Pike
- Open 7 p.m. to 8 a.m.
- Doors close for the night at 8 p.m.
- Vestal United Methodist Church
- 115 Ogle Ave.
- Open 5 p.m. to 10 a.m.
- Doors close for the night at 8 p.m.
- Magnolia Avenue United Methodist Church
- 2700 E. Magnolia Ave.
- Open 5 p.m. to 10 a.m.
- Doors close for the night at 8 p.m.