'We had to start all over again': Fresh ice renders Austin-area roads treacherous again

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A fresh coat of ice overnight reset efforts from local transportation authorities on Wednesday to help make the Austin area's roads more passable.

Texas Department of Transportation spokesman Chris Bishop said crews had to basically start from scratch Wednesday with treating roads after they had managed to completely remove snow and ice from some stretches of the state highways the agency oversees the previous day.

"Overnight the freezing precipitation came back and hit, so we had to start all over again to get things clear and clean enough and safe enough to get people on the road," Bishop said.

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So far, TxDOT's 11-county Austin district has managed to maintain supplies of salt, sand and magnesium chloride used to treat roads. Crews have continued to work extended hours, typically split into 12-hour shifts. As one office throughout the district ran low of supplies, another would help it restock, Bishop said.

Operations were more or less than same for Austin Public Works on Wednesday. The department oversees clearing roads and sidewalks for the city.

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Crews continue to prioritize making sure roads and driveways leading to police, fire and EMS stations, as well as health care facilities, remain passable. The department also saw more trees in roads due to the overnight ice, said department spokesman Kyle Carvell.

Officials strongly urged anyone who needs to get on the roads to do it before sundown and to use higher-traffic streets. Conditions on Austin's more frequently used streets are generally much better than side streets, Carvell said.

"We are not telling people to get on the roads, but if you have to, do it while the sun is out and do it in more well-traveled areas," Carvell said.

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Thursday could be another reset for road crews as more snow is expected to hit the area Wednesday night and Thursday morning.

"We are making plans to continue what we are doing," Bishop said. "We have one more shot at this with the winter storm overnight and tomorrow, and then Mother Nature hopefully will help join the battle."