Road conditions in OKC: Q&A with Oklahoma Co. commissioner

As drivers in central Oklahoma face icy roadways, local leaders are sharing ways drivers out on the road can get to their destinations safely.

SEE ALSO: LIVE UPDATES: OKC metro sees ice & sleet, hazardous travel conditions

The News 9 team spoke with Oklahoma County Commissioner Brian Maughan, who represents District 2, to learn how the county is encouraging drivers to drive safely.

Q: What is the situation like out on the roadway this morning?

A: "Right as we speak, it's been a little bit more difficult on the east side. We have been mostly worried about stuff on the west side, but we're starting to see some freezing starting to take place, particularly on bridges and overpasses ... The salt agent that we use has to have it at a certain temperature in order to really be effective. We had the benefit of that whenever the sun came up this morning, even though it was cloudy, it was enough to activate that agent, but it's dropped just enough that in some parts it's kind of slick. We're confident we can get these roads pretty cleared up here in the next hour or two, but if you don't have to go, it's better if you can just wait a little bit. We appreciate that a lot of people are in a have-to-work situation, so we're making that possible for them with our primary snow routes being the first thing we address."

Q: Can you be specific on some of the trouble spots you're starting to see on the east side of the county?"

A: "Somewhere around in the Mid-Del areas, we have seen some issues. This new mist that we just had about an hour or so ago put a new glaze across things, and if we haven't been back through with the salt trucks ... They are just untreated because this was something that was not there earlier."

Q: What is the plan to continue this work throughout the day and overnight if needed?

A: "As the temperatures drop, we'll have probably some more issues with things that don't air dry. We're hopeful that some of this traffic and then the wind will actually dissipate and we will not have too many problems. But certainly, if you see a glaze tonight with the temperatures that are projected, you can pretty well count on it they will more than likely be slick."