Grand Forks County clearing out nearly 100 blocked roads

GRAND FORKS — Regardless of not a single flake falling from the sky, plows are nonetheless working to maneuver a number of ft of snow in Grand Forks County.

They’re busy making an attempt to dig out roads they gave up on for a part of the winter.

Grand Forks County Freeway Division Superintendent John Money admits it has been fairly the educational expertise. That is his first winter on the job after taking on for his predecessor who had been with the freeway division for almost 60 years.

For the previous three years, Money has been one of many two-dozen employees targeted on digging out after a storm. This yr he is overseeing the dig out course of.

A kind of crews was working to interrupt by a closed township highway close to Thompson, North Dakota.

“It hasn’t been the winter with probably the most snow, nevertheless it has been the winter with probably the most challenges,” mentioned plow driver Luke Myrun.

Quite a few windy days with consistently blowing snow has made it almost inconceivable to maintain the roads that go from East to West open.

Simply after breaking by a number of ft of snow on the township highway, the plow shut down after a fluid line broke.

“It has been the story of the winter. There’s hardly ever a day the place every bit of apparatus goes on the similar time. There’s often one or two which can be all the time having points. You repair one and one other one breaks. It is a continuation,” Myrun mentioned.

In all, about 100 township roads which can be usually plowed haven’t been plowed for the previous couple weeks. Owners in these areas have a manner out, it simply is probably not the quickest.

“All we are able to ask for is slightly persistence, slightly persistence from our group. We try our hardest,” mentioned plow driver Kyle Moen.

Whereas some are targeted on roads, eight excavators have been out Wednesday, March 29, clearing culverts in anticipation of a possible main flood this spring.

“I had hair earlier than it began,” Moen mentioned. “It has been a troublesome go. We’re prepared for it to be over with.”

Matt Henson is an Emmy award-winning reporter/photographer/editor for WDAY. Previous to becoming a member of WDAY in 2019, Matt was the principle anchor at WDAZ in Grand Forks for 4 years. He was born and raised within the suburbs of Philadelphia and attended faculty at Lyndon State School in northern Vermont, the place he was acknowledged twice nationally, together with first place, by the Nationwide Academy for Arts and Science for tv manufacturing. Matt enjoys being a voice for the little man. He focuses on crimes and courts and investigative tales. Simply as usually, he shares tear-jerking tales and tales of accomplishment. Matt enjoys touring to small cities throughout North Dakota and Minnesota to share their tales. He may be reached at mhenson@wday.com and at 610-639-9215. When he is not at work (uncommon) Matt resides in Moorhead and enjoys spending time together with his daughter, {golfing} and attending Bison and Sioux video games.