by Malcolm Butler
As the sun came up this morning, local and state authorities faced an uphill battle … literally.
Due to a stretch of hilly and icy road around the Bienville Parish line, traffic has been back up close to 40 miles with some motorists stranded for what is going on 20 to 24 hours.
Sargeant Ryan Davis with the Louisiana State Police said they are addressing this issue from the Bienville Parish-Lincoln Parish line to the Ouachita Parish-Lincoln Parish line. He spoke to the origin of the issue.
“Some of those hills (along that stretch of I-20) are still really well shaded and have accumulated a lot of ice,” said Davis. “So the (18 wheelers) are loosing traction and they are becoming stuck. The majority of vehicles on the roadways are (18 wheelers) so it has created a bottleneck.
“We have been experiencing this from the onset of this storm. It happens every time in those same areas. Geographically with the frigid weather, the precipitation, the accumulation, and the inability for those stretches of road to thaw … that’s what creates these issues.”
Davis said that the Louisiana Department of Transportation and Development have done some things over the past three days to try to limit the issues.
“The DOTD has salted the roads and sanded the roads,” said Davis. “They have graded the roads. Yesterday we had some melting from the sun. Of course it refroze and has created the issues all over again. Those are the issues we are facing.”
Davis said the state police and national guard have been working on the current problem since Monday, but that it’s a slow process.
“We are running double shifts,” said Davis. “The State Police is. The National Guard is out with their heavy recovery gear. We have every large wrecker in the area out here. It takes a special type of wrecker to pull those big (18 wheelers) due to their weight and the way they slide. Only the large wreckers can do it. Unfortunately, we only have about six to eight of those in this area.
“The way they have to hook up due to pulling those trucks that sometimes weigh 80,000 pounds, it takes a while. They have to put straps and hooks and safety cables just to be able for them to operate safely.”
Davis said they have been working around the clock, but that there is no way to expedite the process.
“We are only able to operate from the front of the pack,” said Davis. “So we will pull some 18 wheelers, we will get a little movement, and then the next set of 18 wheelers hit the same area and get stuck as well.
“It’s figuratively and literally an uphill battle. It’s an elephant we can only eat one bite at a time.”
Davis said the DOTD has road graders out that are attempting to get the larger accumulation off the roadway, but with traffic backed up they are limited to smaller sections.
The State Police, National Guard, and local authorities have been using side by sides to try to deliver water, snacks and in some cases when needed gasoline to stranded motorists.
“We have all hands on deck this morning,” said Lincoln Parish Director of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness Kip Franklin. “We are trying to get water and (food) to people stuck on I-20 westbound. It’s shut down completely from one side of Lincoln (Parish) to the other and into Ouachita (Parish) and into Bienville (Parish).
“We are trying to get MRE’s and water delivered to these people stuck out here. We are using side-by-sides to go down the interstate and get this in the hands of the people who need it.”
Lincoln Parish Deputy Sheriff Landon Hunt said they are also delivering gas to vehicles when needed but that it’s a slow process.
Ruston mayor Ronny Walker was out this morning helping pass out supplies to motorists. He said he had called Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry.
“These people are so appreciative out here,” said Walker.
Davis said there have been some medical issues with stranded motorists as well.
“We had a lady earlier with some diabetic concerns so we had a trooper pick her up and bring her to Wal-Mart to get her what she needed,” said Davis. “We are doing the best we can, but it’s a challenge unfortunately.”
Davis said the hope is with temperatures getting above 40 degrees today and the sun out again, that melting will help.
“I would presume there is hope that will help,” said Davis. “That doesn’t mean we want people coming out on the roads. We are having to utilize US Hwy 80. We are even having to bring wreckers down the opposite way eastbound on the interstate to get them where they need to be.”
