Annual Snow Rodeo is Underway in Cary

Cary, NC — The team behind Cary’s snow plows and brining trucks is starting to prepare for winter 2020.

During this annual winter weather exercise known as the Snow Rodeo, trucks are being recalibrated, tested and began spraying water on streets Friday, October 16. One of the team’s major challenges is adapting their procedures to the COVID-19 environment.

In a release, Town officials said, “A large part of this year’s exercise is preparing for a snow event in a COVID-19 environment; social distancing and sanitizing trucks between shifts will be a priority.”

What to Expect this Week

As Caryites make their way through town, they can expect to see plow opperators getting refamiliarized with their equipment and routes on Wednesday, October 21 from 8 AM to 3 PM.

Cary’s Winter Weather Inventory

According to the Town’s press release, in real winter weather emergencies, the Town’s brine trucks are out 18-24 hours in advance of predicted weather. This is to pretreat the roadways in an effort to prevent frozen precipitation from sticking.

There are 787 linear miles of streets in Cary, 549 of which are in subdivisions.

The Town does not clear private streets or parking lots, including those in apartment and condominium communities or at businesses and commercial centers. This year’s winter storm inventory includes 94 pieces of equipment – 64 plows and 30 spreaders – along with 3,700 tons of salt.

Get Prepared at Home

The Town advises all residents to take time now to prepare for winter weather emergencies.

This could mean learning how to use your home’s master water shut off valve in the event of frozen/broken utility pipes. Also available for review is the NC Highway Patrol’s tips for driving in winter weather.

Citizens in both Wake County and the Chatham County portion of Cary are encouraged to sign up for real-time weather alerts at www.ReadyWake.com and following the Town of Cary on social media for further updates.


Story by staff reports. Plow photo by the Town of Cary. Newsboy photo by Ashley Kairis.

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