With temperatures plunging over the last several hours, many Grayson County roadways have become dangerously slick.
There are reports of extremely slick and hazardous conditions on McGrew Church Road, Blowtown Road, Hooper Barton Road, and Frontage Road, where some residents collectively describe the roadways as “sheets of ice.” Additionally, many other secondary roads in the county remain slick and hazardous, and were described by Grayson County Sheriff’s Office Chief Deputy Jarrod Mudd as “patchy and ice covered.”
Grayson County Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson, who toured the area Thursday morning, reports the Western Kentucky Parkway is clear of ice, and primary roads in the cities remain “mostly clear.” But as Mudd and residents have warned, Henderson says to be mindful of dangerous black ice conditions on primary roads in the county, as they are currently “spotty.”
Furthermore, many side roads and parking lots in Grayson County’s cities remain slick and dangerous.
Kentucky Transportation Cabinet spokesman Chris Jessie said about state road workers’ efforts, “With colder temperatures overnight reducing effectiveness of salt treatments, crews cleared remaining slushy areas down to pavement Thursday evening and reported at 6 a.m. to treat trouble spots … We continue to monitor developing forecasts for this weekend and early next week and will be evaluating and adjusting materials usage and quantities.”
The temperature locally, currently at 23 degree (as of 8:20 a.m.), is not expected to reach 32 degrees until early afternoon, according to the National Weather Service, as the sun is forecast to make an appearance during the late morning hours.
The high temp on Thursday is predicted to reach 34 degrees for a few short hours in the afternoon before dropping to 28 degrees by 8:00 p.m. The result — The thawing of hundreds of miles of Grayson County’s roadways will likely be a gradual, deliberate process.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com
