On January 1, 2025, the City of Memphis rolled out a new, more effective snow and ice mitigation plan to enhance road treatments' safety and efficiency during winter weather events. The updated plan, introduced by the Department of Public Works, refines how the city handles snow and ice on the roads.
Key Features of the New Plan
Under the new strategy, public works crews will target specific routes when wintry weather impacts Memphis. Instead of addressing only high-risk areas such as inclines, declines, overpasses, and bridges— as has been the practice in the past—crews will now focus on clearing one lane in each direction on carefully selected routes. This change is designed to provide more immediate relief for commuters by ensuring that at least one lane is navigable on major thoroughfares throughout the city. This method is consistent with snow and ice mitigation practices already in use in other cities within Tennessee and nationwide.
Transition to Straight Salt for More Effective Melting
Another significant shift in the plan involves the material used for road treatment. Previously, Memphis crews used a salt/sand mix, a traditional approach to combating winter conditions. However, the new strategy involves treating streets with straight salt, believed to melt snow and ice more effectively. This change is expected to improve road conditions more quickly, reducing the amount of snow and ice on the roads and making it easier for vehicles to navigate during winter storms.
In addition to using straight salt, Memphis crews will continue to pretreat roadways with brine when weather conditions allow. Pretreatment helps prevent ice from bonding to the pavement, giving the city a head start on mitigating dangerous road conditions before snow or ice accumulates.
A Modernized Approach to Winter Weather
The new snow and ice mitigation plan reflects a modernized approach that considers advancements in road treatment methods and aligns Memphis with best practices in other cities with similar winter weather challenges. Clearing one lane in each direction on major routes is expected to improve travel times and reduce accidents, ensuring that essential roads remain passable even during the worst weather conditions.
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