Sunrise anchor and reporter
Arkansas road crews want drivers to stay off the roads
Updated 05:53 CST February 1, 2023
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THE WINTER MIX TO MOVE IN. AND SAFE ENOUGH, DID IT. AND ALL OF OUR CREW WORKED AROUND THE CLOCK TO MAKE THE ROADS CLEAN FOR US. AND WE ORDERED SOME INFORMATION. OFFICER DAVE PARKER JOINS US LIVE NOW. AND DAVE, YOUR TEAMS HAVE BEEN WORKING FOR HOURS NOW. WHAT DO YOUR TEAMS SEE ON THE STREETS THIS MORNING? >> wow. WE TALKED EXACTLY ON CUE. >> AND HERE IN LITTLE ROCK WE START GETTING THE GRUST, THE PELLETS, THE FREEZING RAIN JUST 10 MINUTES AGO. IT IS NOW COMING DOWN AS PREDICTED. HAPPILY WE KNEW THAT THE SECOND WAVE WAS COMING. YOU KNOW WE’RE QUITE LUCKY. UNTIL NOW. ACCIDENT NOT ACCIDENT THREE BUT NOT BAD IN THE NORTHWEST PART OF RIVER VALLEY SOME REAL PROBLEMS IN EASTERN ARKANSAS AT INTERSTATE 40 AND 55. BUT YOU KNOW WE’LL JUST WATCH. WE GET SOMETHING TO PLOW. WE WILL FLUGH IT OUT. WE WILL REMOVE THE STONE. SALT WILL COME BACK AND HIT IT AGAIN. BUT IT WILL BE THE SAME PROCESS ALL NIGHT, ALL TOMORROW. AND THEN ON WEDNESDAY, OF COURSE, I assume you’re talking about a third wave right now. I DON’T REALLY WANT TO THINK ABOUT IT. >> YES DO DAVE I MEAN THEY HAVE WORKS 24/7 SINCE WHAT, SUNDAY NIGHT TILL MONDAY MORNING. AND NOW WE JUST I DON’T KNOW LEFT A FEW DAYS WITH LOTS OF HOURS TO GO. WHAT ARE YOU DOING WITH YOUR CREWS TO HELP THEM KEEP ON VIEW AND GIVE THEM LOTS OF PEACE FOR THEIR NEXT SHIFT? >> LUCKY WE HAVE ENOUGH MANPOWER. YOU KNOW THEY WORK 12 HOUR SHIFTS. I TELL YOU A NEW INSPECTION WE HAVE NOW IS YOU GET FUEL TO OUR EQUIPMENT BECAUSE IT WILL BE A PROBLEM TO BRING THESE TANK TRUCKS WHERE WE NEED TO BRING THEM. WHEN THE ROADS GET REALLY ICE. SO WE WATCH THIS NOW. WE ARE NOT AT A CRITICAL LEVEL WITH FUEL. WE ARE NOT THAT WAY. BUT IT’S SOMETHING THAT HAS JACKED ON OUR RADAR. THE TANK TRUCKS CANNOT ENTRY. IT CREATES PROBLEMS. SO WE HAVE THE GO. WE HAVE OUR CHAINSAW CREWS READY. THE POWER LINES FALL, ESPECIALLY TONIGHT. THIS IS CERTAINLY A MAJOR CONCERN FOR THE MOTORISTS BUT CERTAINLY FOR OUR WORKERS OUT THERE AT NIGHT TRYING TO PULL THESE TREES OUT OF THE WAY WITH POWER LINES, IT CREATES A VERY, VERY DANGEROUS SITUATION. DAVE, WHERE DO THESE TANK TRUCKS COME FROM? >> IS THERE NEARBY IN NORTH WESTERN ARKANSAS IN THE RIVER VALLEY? >> I MEAN THEY COME FROM EVERYWHERE. YOU KNOW, I JUST DID A QUICK REVIEW OF OUR TEN COUNTIES. AND ONE OF THE CONCERNS IS, YOU KNOW, WE ARE LIKE EVERYONE, WE NEED ACCESSORIES TO HELP. WE HAVE THE SALT SUPPLY, WE HAVE THE STAFF. WE HAVE EVERYTHING RUNNING. BUT OUR EQUIPMENT TO OPERATE THESE TRUCKS. AND IT’S NOT IN A BAD PLACE NOW. BUT IF THIS CONTINUES, THE TANK TRUCKS CANNOT ENTRY. YOU KNOW, WE HAVE TO GO TO OUR BACKUP CORE AND THEN THIS GETS A BIT INTERFERABLE. >> YES, BECAUSE YOU RIDE SO LONG AND STILL RIDE MANY HOURS. DAVE BARKER OF THE ARKANSAS DEPARTMENT OF TRAFFIC, THANK YOU DAVE AND YOUR TEAMS FOR SEEKING US SAFE ON THE ROADS AS YOU CAN. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. AND NOW WE TAKE A LIVE LOOK AT ROAD CONDITIONS AND BETTE IN WASHINGTON AND SEBASTIAN COUNTY. FROM LEFT TO RIGHT LOOK STRAIGHT AT ROAD CONDITIONS ON I 49. AND AS YOU CAN SEE THE ROADS ARE PASSABLE. THEY HAVE TREATED THEM. THEY HAVE WORKS TO PLOW THEM. BUT WE STILL SEE BAD CONDITIONS. REMEMBER WE SEE EXTREMELY COLD WEATHER, WAYWAY 59 AND EXIT FIVE AND NOT MUCH TRAFFIC HERE OVERALL. STAY TUNED. WITH 40, 29 NEWS WHILE WE CONTINUE TO SHOW YOU THE LIVE CONDITIONS OUTSIDE AND ENSURE THAT YOU DRIVE VERY CAREFULLY WHEN GOING ANYWHERE AND KEEP THE SECONDS ALWAYS. MANY ROADS, THE SMALLER
Arkansas road crews are dealing with a second wave of winter weather, even as a third looms. ARDOT crews will alternate between plowing and laying rock salt Tuesday through Wednesday, said spokesman Dave Parker. Parker said ARDOT was beginning to have concerns about sourcing fuel for its equipment. Crews now have enough fuel, but unless conditions improve enough for tankers to drive in, problems could arise. ARDOT also has chainsaw crews ready for trees that fall on the road. Benton County Freezing rain and sleet continue to fall, making it impossible for crews to keep the roads clear. “We’ve been plowing, grinding and salting where we can, so we’ve made some progress,” said county spokeswoman Melody Kwok. “But it’s definitely gotten us back to where we started.” Crews prepare for overnight re-freezing. Washington County Many roads throughout the county are covered in ice. “I’ve been here almost five years and this is the worst thing I’ve ever seen on the streets,” said Fayetteville Police Officer Ethan Mabie mabie “Glateis doesn’t discriminate.” Mabie said people don’t have to use their turn signals. River Valley Progress is slow in the River Valley, especially on the I-540 bridge between Fort Smith and Van Buren and the Highway 64 / Midland Ave. bridge. The roads in Greenwood are covered in ice, making it difficult for drivers and road staff. “We’re obviously concerned about the weight of the trees and the downing of power lines and the loss of power to people,” Greenwood Police Chief Will Dawson said. “We’ve had this problem for the past few days.”
ROGERS, Ark —
Arkansas road crews are dealing with a second wave of winter weather, though a third is looming.
ARDOT crews will alternate between plowing and laying rock salt Tuesday through Wednesday, spokesman Dave Parker said.
Parker said ARDOT was beginning to worry about how its equipment would be fueled.
Crews now have enough fuel, but unless conditions improve enough for tanker trucks to enter, problems could arise.
ARDOT also has chainsaw teams ready for trees that fall onto the road.
Benton County
Freezing rain and sleet continue to fall, making it impossible for crews to keep the roads clear.
“We’ve been plowing, grinding and salting where we can, so we’ve made some progress,” said county spokeswoman Melody Kwok. “But it definitely brought us back to where we started.”
Crews prepare for overnight refreeze.
Washington County
Many roads in the county are covered with ice.
“I’ve been here almost five years and this is the worst thing I’ve seen on the streets,” said Fayetteville Police Officer Ethan Mabie.
Mabie said officers see vehicles in ditches all the time, and nine times out of ten it’s because they’re speeding.
“Even people with four-wheel or all-wheel drive just feel invincible and they’re not,” said Mabie. “Glateis does not discriminate.”
Mabie said people have to use their turn signals.
river valley
Progress is slow in the River Valley, particularly on the I-540 bridge between Fort Smith and Van Buren and the Highway 64/Midland Ave. bridge.
The roads in Greenwood are covered in ice, making it difficult for drivers and road staff.
“We’re obviously concerned about the weight of the trees and the downing of power lines and the loss of power to people,” Greenwood Police Chief Will Dawson said. “We’ve had this problem for the past few days.”
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