What Are Those Lines on the Highway?

If you've seen the strange parallel white lines on the highways throughout the greater Utica region, you can be assured, slippery conditions are in the forecast.  That's according to Jim Piccola, who told WIBX that it's a brine, or liquid salt, that's placed on the roads in advance of winter weather.

The brine is streamed out of eight spouts at the rear of the salt truck and it often times will leave lines on black pavement from the salt solution.

Piccolo says the mixture gets into the cracks of the pavement and prevents the roads from initially freezing during a quick overnight freeze or freezing rain, giving crews the chance to get out on the roads and cover them with salt to prevent unsafe driving conditions.

The lines in the photo above were spotted on Route 5-S in Oneida County on Wednesday evening, October 28th.  Forecasters are calling for below freezing temperatures through Halloween weekend.