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EVERGREEN, Colo. (KDVR) — Residents along the Front Range are preparing for a significant shift in temperatures.

“The roads are fine, but they’re going to look icy,” Julius said while filling up his gas tank.

The Colorado Department of Transportation keeps 23,000 lane miles of highways cleared. When warm weather shifts to snow and freezing temperatures the pavement expands and contracts.

Drivers should be prepared for sudden changes, especially in the high country where snow and ice may cover potholes.

“Stay in the slow lane, just go slow,” one commuter said.

CDOT fights against freezing water on the road by sending out plows at the start of the storm. Liquid deicer is usually applied once the snow starts to fall.

Snow plows work around the clock on the most traveled routes. CDOT reminds drivers to give them plenty of room, especially when the trucks are traveling in tandem.

Governor Jared Polis signed a bill into law in 2019 increasing penalties for motorists who pass snow plows.

Check your city and county’s website for information about plow schedules where you live.

Be prepared for spring snowstorm

Many residents are happy to see the spring snowfall and the moisture it brings to the state.

“I think it’s kind of nice when it just shakes up now and then,” one Evergreen resident said.

Many stress that it is also important to be prepared before hitting the road by packing blankets and a charged cell phone and always sharing our route with family or friends.

“Check tires and have a roadside emergency kit,” Julius said.