Dallas, Fort Worth Officials Keep Roads Open
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Stranded motorists complained about the roads Friday.
"There were no warnings," says Daruis Garner. Garner was heading to work when his Volvo crossed a bridge and careened down a hill wedging between trees. "The road should have been blocked off."
Dee Sparks is from Michigan. She too was upset.
"There is something that Texans do not do that Michigans do that helps out in this weather," she said.
Sparks is right.
In states like Michigan, Minnesota, and North Dakota, the Department of Transportation and State Patrol have the authority to "jointly" issue a No Travel Advisory. They can even shut down the interstates.
Minnesota issued a no travel advisory due to a blizzard that hit just before New Year's Eve.
The Texas Department of Transportation, however, does not have the authority to close down roadways or interstates.
In Texas, the authority is divided among state and local law enforcement agencies. State troopers can close some stretches. County Commissioners decide whether to keep county roads open.
And, in places, like the High Five, in Dallas, the Dallas Police Department makes the decision to shut down or stay open.
Today, although many motorists were stranded there, DPD decided to keep it open.
"This morning was an inconvenience for drivers. Some vehicles got stuck, but there were no injuries involved so we don't feel we need to punish other drivers who can safely pass on that road," said Kevin Janse, spokesman for the Dallas Police Department.
In some areas, icicles as large as three feet hung from some overpasses. TxDOT is responsible for knocking those down, but if crews go out to take care of them they have to shut the highway down.
"It concerns me driving underneath it," said Dusttin Pearson, who just got into town from Nashville, Tenn.
The Fort Worth Police Department also decided to keep its roads open.
"The decision is made based on the safety of our motorist and them having a safe passageway on our roadways," said Sergeant Paul Criado with the Fort Worth Police Department.
Plano Police and the Denton County Sheriff Departments made similar calls Friday.
Each agency said if the weather had gotten worse, it may have made a decision to shut down.
They all said they make individual calls for their own roadways in their own jurisdictions, but they also work together to make the right call.
They say they all talk and take recommendations from the Texas Department of Transportation. They all rely heavily on reports from officers on the road and TxDOT crews.
Drivers like Arthur Rios are glad those conversations led to no closures Friday. He believes closed roads would have caused a bigger mess.
"I think people would be mad. They would try to take the back roads and that wouldn't be good," he said. "They'd be slipping and sliding all over the place."
