by Malcolm Butler
Mother Nature … one. I-20 … zero.
She wins.
As the area continues to try to thaw out from the winter storm that dumped in excess of four to five inches of wintry precipitation — sleet, snow, freezing rain — during a 30-hour window in Lincoln Parish, traffic issues have been one of the main challenges.
While the local roads around Ruston and in the rural areas of Lincoln Parish have been problematic — especially for those without a vehicle equipped to handle such adversity — Interstate 20 has been arguably the biggest issue.
Long delays have been the norm on I-20 from Shreveport to east of Monroe with some stoppages lasting more than 15 hours.
The main culprit has been 18-wheelers although the issue is not immune to other vehicles as well.
Late Monday afternoon, another one of these jams began around Gibsland as 18-wheelers struggled to get up some of the more hilly stretches of the interstate.
And as of 9 p.m. Monday night, the traffic was at a standstill from Gibsland all the way to the Ouachita Parish line … a stretch of around 40 miles.
“The state is handling most of the issues on I-20,” said Lincoln Parish Deputy Sheriff Landon Hunt last night. “We have loaned them some side by sides which allows them to get in and out of those 18 wheelers and figure out where the problems are.
“They can also pass out some food and water while they are out there.”
Hunt said the issue has to do with traction.
“It’s mostly 18 wheelers,” said Hunt. “They can’t get traction going up those hills. They just get stuck. Usually one lane will be descent and so another one will try to come around them and they get stuck. And now you have the entire road blocked.
“It’s hard to get the wreckers to them. It takes a long time to get to them and then once you do get them out, a little while later the same thing will happen again.”
The stretch of I-20 through Lincoln Parish had very little issue Monday after crews worked all through Sunday night using road scrapers to help clear much of the ice. However, not every parish has done the same thing, thus causing many of these issues.
“Lincoln Parish ran graters and salt all night (Sunday night),” said Hunt. “Those guys did a great job. It’s why everything was in so much better shape here.”
