Snow on Christmas day left Durant with white lawns and icy roads. As the rain sleet and snow received on Christmas froze overnight roads conditions became dangerous Wednesday morning.
The Durant Public Works Division set to work spreading biodegradable “ice pellets” and gravel chips on the roads of Durant to allow for safer driving.
Public works employees began spreading the pellets and gravel at 7 p.m. on Christmas day to prepare for the freezing roads.
The mixtures were spread on bridges and overpasses first. Public works then began to cover high traffic roads.
Public works also responded to incoming calls concerning slick roads. When calls were received a crew would be sent out to spread the mixtures.
Approximately 24 five-gallon buckets of pellets and 40 to 50 tons of gravel were used to ensure road safety over the past two days.
Public works spent approximately $2,200 of the $20,000 budget set aside for such occurrences.
According to Public works, spreading the mixtures prevented solid sheets of ice on the roads; however there are still slick spots to be mindful of.
Even over the next few days, existing moisture on the roads may refreeze after dark causing slick areas on roads. These areas are more apt to appear on shaded or lightly traveled roads.
According to The Durant Public Works division, while road conditions should improve Durant citizens need to be careful and watch for ice patches on the road.
In other news, Durant Fire Department responded to six small fires between Dec. 23 and 26. A grass fire extinguished behind 1005 Lynwood on Dec. 23.
Two grass fires and a garbage fire were extinguished on Dec. 24. A dead pine tree caught fire from contact with a power line on Dec. 25 at 218 Cornell.
A chimney fire was extinguished at 259 Eagle Lake Dr. on Dec. 26. No loss or damage was caused by any of these fires.
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