Running Sprinkler Leads To Dangerous Icy Roadway In East Dallas

DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - It is bitterly cold outside across North Texas, but the ground is mostly dry so there is not much danger on the roadways at this point. That is not the case, however, at one spot in east Dallas, where slushy surfaces have led to more than one car crash on Tuesday morning.

The treacherous area is located near the intersection of Interstate-30 and Ferguson Road. Vehicles collided here during early morning rush hour. On one side of the street, it is dry. But the other side is wet and dangerous. So, where did all of this water come from?

The answer is uphill, where the sprinkler system at a town home community experienced some sort of issue. Gravity then did the rest. Car after car screeched as morning commuters came upon the surprisingly slick roads. Even some pedestrians found the surfaces to be too slippery.

Jake Rodgers was among those who found the chilly situation frustrating. He lives at the White Rock Hills town homes, where a manager said that a sprinkler head appeared to have been broken by diving temperatures. The resulting water froze to every surface -- causing skids and slides within the community and at the bottom of the hill.

Even nearby plants and signs were covered in ice.

"Just trying to get to the bus stop," Rodgers said. "There's ice on the bus stop, so I can barely get to the bus."

Crews with the Texas Department of Transportation are working to sand the roads and make the area safer for drivers, while the community's management is working to sand driveways and walkways. But neighbors -- including Rodgers -- said that the situation could have been prevented.

"It shouldn't be like this. This is like, a lawsuit waiting to happen," Rodgers added. Property management would only say that someone would be taking a look at the sprinkler system. They would not say if the sprinklers were or were not accidentally left running on Monday night.

In:
• Icy Roads
• I-30