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Road Crews Ready For Snowy Conditions

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- With snowy conditions moving into the area, preparations are underway to keep local roads safe.

Crews across the Delaware Valley are getting ready for whatever Mother Nature brings this weekend.

FULL WEATHER FORECAST

John Krafczyk is a maintenance director with PennDOT. He tells CBS3 crews began brining the roads early Friday morning.

The salt trucks will be out late Friday night and overnight into Saturday. Traffic analysts were glued to dozens of large screens inside the PennDOT operations center in King of Prussia. It's a real-time assessment of what's happening on the roads.

"Initially we'll go out there and salt when the snow starts to fall and once we see some accumulations and get our blades down we'll use our plows," said Brad Rudolph, PennDOT spokesperson. "The timing of this storm could be beneficial to us because it's overnight into Saturday. Saturday morning--less volume on the roadways allows to give us space more effectively more efficiently."

You can see real-time plowing locations by going to 511PA.com.

Parts Of Region Bracing For Snow

The snow began falling early Friday night in Rehoboth, Delaware.

Officials in New Castle County are telling residents crews are ready to clear parking lots and sidewalks at county facilities for the public.

The public can keep up any delayed openings at county libraries, recreation centers, Rockwood Museum and county parks on Facebook and here, as well as the County's Department of Community Services website.

And at the South Jersey Transportation Authority crews were busy spraying thousands of gallons of brine to prepare the Atlantic City Expressway for the season's first winter storm.

Preparations have been going on here for the last 72 hours.

"On Wednesday we started looking at staffing levels, material levels whether that salt, brine or gasoline for the trucks," said Jim Sullivan, director of operations at South Jersey Transportation Authority.

Eight tons of salt mixed with calcium should more than cover this weekend's snowstorm, which some hope won't put a freeze on Christmas-time events.

Sea Isle City Mayor Len Desiderio says his business and many others in town aren't too worried that snow will negatively impact the Chamber of Commerce's holiday stroll event on Saturday. Businesses have been decorating and plan to offer holiday treats and discounts.

The mayor says street and sidewalk clearing plans are in place so people can enjoy a winter wonderland at the shore.

"Everybody wants to be at the shore, 'tis the season and now that we hear that there may be some snow what better place to be than in Sea Isle City," said Desiderio.

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