Frozen: Stay Off The Roads

January 29, 2014

Every major bridge and roadway in Escambia County is either closed or experiencing major issues, according to Escambia County Emergency Management.

Every roadway in the North Escambia area has ice on the roadway, and that at ice will not melt today with a high expected only in the 20’s. Highway 29 is impassable; there have been numerous accidents, vehicles into ditches (including an Escambia County EMS ambulance) and jack-knifed 18-wheelers.  Highway 97 is practically impassable due to ice.  Vehicles are unable to travel up a hill near Wiggins Lake Road.

Highway 29 is closed for the night from Bluff Springs Road to Cox Road. Highway 97 is closed from Arthur Brown Road to Kansas Road in Walnut Hill. There are no detours; drivers should avoid the area altogether.

The smaller county roads in the North Escambia area are in even worse condition.

It’s no better in Pensacola, with many roads closed and most of the area impassable.

“Traveling local roadways at this time can be a life threatening decision,” according to Escambia County Public Safety.

Air travel is also shutdown at the Pensacola International Airport. The airport has ceased all aircraft operation.

Pictured top: Two jack-knifed 18-wheelers on Highway 29 south of Century. Pictured below: An impassable Highway 97 near Davisville. Pictured bottom: An iced-over Delta plane at Pensacola International Airport. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.

Comments

19 Responses to “Frozen: Stay Off The Roads”

  1. Becka Peebles on January 29th, 2014 9:51 pm

    We saw that ambulance too. Any idea what he was doing? Can’t imagine he was going to try to make it to P’cola.

  2. Worried Neighbor on January 29th, 2014 7:52 pm

    …. But yet the postal workers are on the road? Makes no sense to me!

  3. Earl in bratt on January 29th, 2014 6:29 pm

    That Al Gore is such a liar!!

  4. Tom on January 29th, 2014 6:22 pm

    “Al Gore” You are quite correct this global warming is out of control I truly feel sorry for future populations of this solely habbitable planet in our solar system for humanity’s failure to address the symtoms of an enviromental event, including the stratospheric warming of the arctic which in turn has caused the polar vortex usually more northerly to split and send subsantual cooling down to us through the jet stream.

  5. Charlotte Bates on January 29th, 2014 6:04 pm

    I was born and raised in Pensacola. I’ve never seen anything like this. Snow? Yes, but it was usually gone by the next a.m. I’ve also lived in Idaho, and ten feet of snow, and 30 below zero was nothing compare to this. At least I knew how to drive in that, but also know to stay put. If I’m sliding around in my yard with the ice, imagine a car, van, or truck that weighs a lot more sliding around on the icy roads. I hope everyone that has been in accidents because of this weather, I hope you aren’t harmed, and if so, I pray for a full recovery.

  6. Puddin on January 29th, 2014 5:56 pm

    Thanks to all out there working hard to keep our pwer on and our roads safe. Our FD was out there warning people about how dangerous the hill by Wiggins Lake rd is. Great job everyone. Stay safe.

  7. Puddin on January 29th, 2014 5:53 pm

    Im sorry, this is mean, but I just gotta say it. This guy in the white semi…he was heading north as I was heading south. The fire department stopped him and told him it was dangerous. Having just barely made it through myself, I waved him down and made stopping motions to him. He gave me the thumbs up sign and a big smile. Guess he was wrong! Ya cant fix stupid. (I know, they tried and Im still broken. Lol) Everybody, seriously, please just stay inside. It will all be melted by noon tomorrow. Stay safe.

  8. gerri on January 29th, 2014 5:48 pm

    They have closed 97 at least where 164 ends into it. They have been working multiple cars, and a big rig that had slid off the road. EMTs, ambulance and our volunteer firemen out in the mess as sight seeing is getting a bunch of people in trouble. I suspect the same holds true at Wiggins Lake as that hill is steeper. One big rig had stopped and put on chains, got down the hill but when he started up, slid off the road.

  9. curious on January 29th, 2014 5:29 pm

    Hwy. 29 is closed in McDavid. @ JD, some of these people are having to go to work, people can take Cox Rd. off 29 to get to Hwy. 4

  10. Firefighter on January 29th, 2014 4:54 pm

    Well said Annie!! “ The only way we can help is to stay home and pray for those who have to go out there like the lineman. Nothing is more important than our lives.”

    As a First Responder I can say these are Very Dangerous conditions to get out in. Please only get out if u have an Emergency or have to get to work. People out Site seeing are not just putting their lives in Danger but mine and those of my brothers/sisters that are out helping others!!
    I would like to thank the 99% that has taken the warnings and stayed in out of this mess. I have been a First Responder since 1993 and this is the first time this many people has listened and stayed in as requested durning and after an weather emergency/disaster!!

  11. Not so dumb on January 29th, 2014 4:04 pm

    well, if I didn’t have a job where i’m considered “essential staff” I wouldn’t have been on the road. BUT for those of us who have a duty to report to work, I don’t think we fit in the catagory of “dumb” people on the roads.

    Stay safe LEO, Firemen, EMS, Nurses, and other medical staff and any other people who have to be on the roads to get to work and back.

  12. Trudy on January 29th, 2014 4:04 pm

    Just saw someone on South Canoe Road “riding around looking”and they slid off the curve and into the driveway of my neighbor. They couldn’t backup so they turned and drove thru the neighbors yard before anyone could come out of the house and see what was going on. I agree, people should stay at home, especially this nut.

  13. JSCS on January 29th, 2014 3:37 pm

    Thanks William, for the info about the roads.

    Praying everyone who must be on the roads today and tonight will be very careful and safe.

  14. Al gore on January 29th, 2014 2:38 pm

    This global warming is out of control…

  15. Anne on January 29th, 2014 2:29 pm

    The only way we can help is to stay home and pray for those who have to go out there like the lineman. Nothing is more important than our lives.

  16. Gerri on January 29th, 2014 1:53 pm

    Around 12:00 noon, an ambulance was creeping past my house headed south on 97. I went outside to see if there had been a wreck on the hill near 164, but wasn’t. I wonder if they made it up the hill at Wiggins Lake Road

  17. Tonya R on January 29th, 2014 1:05 pm

    wow. and note the gulf power truck in the pic. im married to a lineman. praying for his safety!! and also my mother in law, who is being made to deliver mail today.

  18. Laurie T on January 29th, 2014 12:44 pm

    Thank you for being concise and to the point. “Stay off the roads” tells me plainly just what I need to know!

  19. J. D. on January 29th, 2014 12:16 pm

    Dumb people getting out in this weather…..

Written by William Reynolds · Filed Under Archive