CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas – The Texas Department of Roads is opening roads in the Coastal Bend as soon as possible. Rickey Dailey, TxDOT’s public information officer, said most of the main corridors in Corpus Christi remain closed due to icy conditions.
Crew members are judging the JFK Causeway and Harbor Bridge, but Dailey does not expect it to open this Monday. Crews distribute disinfectants on the Nueces River Bridge, on I-37 in Labonte Park and on US-77, all the way from Refugio to Kingsville. US-77 currently remains open, but it is a mix of main lanes and freeways.
The TxDOT teams distribute a coolant mixed with ice rock on the roads. The coolant helps to break the bond between the ice and the road, while the ice rock helps with traction.
First, Dailey said TxDOT crews need to make sure road conditions are safe enough to spend before they can work on opening them up to the public.
‘First we have to assess the road conditions to see if it is safe for our crew to get out there. At various points in the night, it just overwhelmed us, and we had to pick up our crew members. “Our trucks with the coolant have slipped, and it is not safe,” he said.
Dailey said it was unclear when major roads in the area would be reopened, and that it depended on weather conditions. However, he said if the temperature gets hot, the ice will melt, but if it falls again, it will freeze again and turn into black ice, which is dangerous.
‘People might see a puddle on the road and think,’ hey, it’s just wet ‘, if it’s really frozen. It is a very dangerous condition, and that is why we still ask people to stay at home and not drive today, ”he said.
Outside Corpus Christi, road conditions are similar. Sheriffs in Aransas, Bee, Duval, Kenedy, Kleberg, Refugio and San Patricio County all report different icy roads. Live Oak, Refugio and San Patricio Counties have all had reports of accidents involving sheriffs.
In the province of Aransas, there were not as many calls for accidents to the sheriff’s office, but sheriff Bill Mills still insisted on drivers in the area.
‘Depending on where you are, you see more of it visible, it’s pretty consistent everywhere. It’s up to the point where it’s packed tight enough, if you drive there, if you approach intersections, get ready to stop, if you travel more than 20 [miles per hour] you will slip through some intersections. We ask everyone to use their best judgment, and if they do not need to be outside, do not come out, ”he said.
Sheriff’s Office in Aransas County
The Dale Miller Bridge in Aransas Pass will remain open from Monday afternoon, as will the Port Aransas Ferry. Sheriff Mills said the path to Lamar was icy but passable, and that they were trying to avert the closure of the path so as not to isolate the people in the north.
Sheriff Mills reported power outages in the area, saying shelters were open in the country; at local fire stations and even in some churches in Fulton, saying that his crew transported people to the shelters who could not stay in their homes due to the cold.
Dailey wants people to know TxDOT is working hard to keep roads in the area open and safe as quickly as possible.
‘The public needs to know that it is still a challenge to open the roads, even after the ice and rain no longer fall and freeze. We are going to do our best and we are still doing our best. We work 24 hours, we work in shifts of 12 hours, 24 hours a day, ”he said.
Sheriff’s Office in Bee County
Both Dailey and Sheriff Mills want people to stay off the roads unless absolutely necessary while the conditions remain as they are.
‘Please stay home, do not drive unless you absolutely have to. “These are difficult driving conditions, and we want to see everyone safely,” said Dailey.
“We are not used to driving in these conditions. There is a saying I have been using for a long time: you are part of the solution, or you are part of the problem. If you do not need to be outside, you will face part of the problem area. “We will ask that everyone stay where they are, as long as they can persevere,” the sheriff said.
Consult the Road Condition TxDOT Map for the most recent information on road conditions and closures. TxDOT also has traffic cameras available to see road conditions, although some may not be operational due to the cold weather.