Escanaba Public Safety and the Delta County Sheriff’s Department are urging people to stay off of the roads Sunday night as the snow continues to pile up and the winds cause massive snowdrifts.
The Delta County Road Commission and Escanaba Public Works have been battling the snow non-stop throughout the day, trying to at least keep main roads passable. Many side roads, alleys, and local roads outside of Escanaba are clogged and are not passable…and won’t be for may hours to come.
“Throughout the day, we’ve had a lot of vehicles stuck, including our patrol vehicles,” Escanaba Public Safety Lt. John Gudwer told RRN News. “Our fire truck was stuck at one point when we had a car fire (call). The highway might be passable at some points within the city, but if you try to pull off into any drives, people are getting stuck. We just had someone stuck on North Lincoln Road. It’s just dangerous to be out there.”
“The secondary roads in Delta County are still in bad condition,” Delta County Sheriff Sgt. Tom Lewis told RRN News Sunday night. “They’re snow-covered and drifting. A lot of the secondary roads haven;t been plowed yet. Our day shift has been helping people get un-stuck on the highways, even in their driveways.”
Lewis was driving the sheriff’s department four wheel drive vehicle, with a plow on front of it, Sunday night.
“I’m driving that tonight in case Rampart (ambulance) is needed on a call where they cannot get down the road,” Lewis said. “I will travcel in front of them so they can get down the road.”
Numerous businesses in Escanaba, including fast food restaurants like McDonald’s, Taco Bell, Burger King, and Hardee’s all closed their doors. Elmer’s County Market remained open despite having more than half of its staff call in because they couldn’t get out of their driveways. WalMart and Meijer also remained open in Escanaba.
The roads are also a complete mess in Menominee County, where officials have declared a snow emergency.
Schools throughout Delta, Menominee, and Schoolcraft Counties have already cancelled their classes for Monday. This includes the Escanaba, Gladstone, Rapid River, Bark River-Harris, Mid Peninsula, Big Bay deNoc, Manistique, North Central, Stephenson, and Menominee School Districts. The Holy Name Catholic School in Escanaba, and the Delta-Schoolcraft ISD are also closed for Monday.
“Unless it’s an emergency, just stay home,” Lewis said. “Stay off the roads. Let the road commission get their job done. And be safe.”
