ODOT Explains Why OKC Roads Weren’t Pre-Treated Before Storm

ODOT Acknowledges No Pre-Treatment Before Winter Crash Surge

More Than 350 Crashes Reported Across Metro

The Oklahoma Department of Transportation confirms it did not pretreat highways in the Oklahoma City metro earlier this week before winter weather arrived, contributing to a spike of more than 350 car crashes and leaving over two dozen motorists stranded.

ODOT Cites Forecasts Showing Reduced Risk

ODOT said meteorologists they follow showed the system trending toward lighter or no precipitation for central Oklahoma, leading the agency to forgo the usual brine pretreatment. The agency says pre-treating for storms that don’t materialize can waste resources and limit trucks for later storms.

Forecasters Disagree

Local weather experts push back, saying they repeatedly warned that a winter mix, including freezing drizzle, would touch the metro area. Because bridges and overpasses freeze first, even very light precipitation can create widespread hazards — which is exactly what happened.

ODOT Reviewing Its Protocol

The department says it will review its winter response process but maintains that treatment decisions rely heavily on National Weather Service advisories.

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