McAlester Crews Work To Clear Snow-Covered Roads; City Urges Drivers To Stay Home

The City of McAlester was working to get roads cleared up on Friday after at least eight inches of snow fell in the area. 

Most of the highways and main roads in town have already been treated, but the neighborhood roads and side roads are still packed with snow and filled with slush.

Some chose to stay off the roads and take advantage of snow left behind by the winter storm. 

The streets around Pepper Marquez’s McAlester home are packed with snow. It’s the perfect kind to build a snowman. 

“I’ve always done it as a little kid with my family,” she said.

While Marquez was having fun, the city was busy working to get the roads cleared up. Crews worked around the clock, plowing the roads and dumping hundreds of tons of salt. 

“We prioritize specific paths; healthcare, law enforcement, emergency vehicle, all those paths—the high traffic areas, those are prioritized,” said Adrian O’Hanlon with the City of McAlester.

He says crews will treat 177 miles of roadway.

O’Hanlon says there have been no deadly crashes because of this storm, but streets with hills have been tough for some drivers.

He says the city has been expecting heavy snowfall but it’s been a while since they’ve gotten this much.  

“We had something similar to this, but we weren’t getting 12 inches of snow; it was mostly ice. This one’s felt a little safer,” said O’Hanlon.

The city says it has concerns that some of this slush could re-freeze overnight into Saturday. They’re asking everyone to stay home if possible until everything is cleared off the roads.