Texoma road conditions remain poor with more freezing rain in store

(KXII) - Road conditions remain poor Wednesday as sleet that feel Monday remains frozen across most Texoma roadways.

While major highways have seen clearing, the side roads to access them remain virtual sheets of ice.

With the entire area under an Ice Storm Warning for Wednesday, the National Weather Service says road conditions will continue to worsen and roads that are drivable through Tuesday will likely become impassable .

On Wednesday morning, Sherman Police announced the temporary closure of southbound US-75 at FM-691 to remove a stalled semi truck.

Tuesday, Texoma saw dozens of accidents and stranded driver calls on both sides of the Red River.

TxDOT reports every highway in North Texas is sleet-covered, and roads remain slick even as crews continue to treat major highways, intersections, and elevated surfaces.

The department said conditions are deteriorating in Grayson, Hunt, and Fannin counties.

It added crews got out ahead of the storm by beginning to treat the roads over the weekend, and it will continue to do so as needed 24/7 during this storm.

Locally, Sherman and Denison Police were swamped with minor accidents and stranded driver calls Tuesday. Police are asking residents not to get out unless they absolutely have to.

Sherman police said its officers have responded to more than 30 vehicle crashes and 40 motorist assists or road hazards since Monday morning.

Dension Police said it responded to more than 10 crashes, and most of the calls it has received have been from drivers needing help because of the ice.

“If you don’t have a reason to go out, I’d stay in,” said Denison Police Chief Mike Gudgel. “I mean schools are shut down right now, and for the most part I think people are abiding by that, but we realize there are some folks that have to get out, but when you do we just ask that you go slow.”

If you have to get out, police said speed is not your friend, and drivers should keep enough room between other vehicles on the roadway.

In Oklahoma, conditions are the same with sleet covered roads across the southern part of the state. ODOT crews are treating roads, but most remain slick and hazardous. I-35 from Ardmore south to Texas is considered extremely slick and hazardous and travel is discouraged, ODOT said Tuesday morning. Here’s a look at IH-35 in Ardmore as of 1 p.m.

Road conditions are not expected to improve Wednesday, with more precipitation in the forecast and temperatures staying below freezing. Travel is highly discouraged.

Oklahoma drivers can see live road conditions at okroads.org.

Texas drivers can see live road conditions at drivetexas.org.

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