Road crews tackle rural DeSoto County roads
Photo: A DeSoto County grader assists MDOT in clearing snow from state Highway 301 near the Goodman Road intersection on Thursday, Jan. 29. (Courtesy photo)
SOUTHAVEN — While a winter storm has left much of North Mississippi under a blanket of ice and snow, officials in DeSoto County say the heavy lifting by their road crews has kept the western part of the county moving.
District 3 Supervisor Ray Denison, who represents the county’s most rural and topographically challenging areas, said Thursday that while the work remains a work in progress, the results are visible.
“They are all passable,” Denison said after personally driving nearly every road in his district to assess conditions. “The main arteries, obviously, are better than the back roads and some of the subdivision roads, but our objective is always to get the main roads open first.”
Prioritizing Public Safety
The strategy for clearing the rural west involves a specific hierarchy aimed at ensuring emergency services can reach residents and healthcare workers can reach hospitals.
According to Denison, east-west corridors like Star Landing Road, Church Road, and Nail Road are the top priorities. These routes serve as vital links from Highway 61 toward the interstate. For north-south travel, Highway 301 remains the primary focus.
“When emergencies and health issues arise, we want to make sure people can get where they need to go,” Denison said.
Battling the Hills
The western part of DeSoto County is known for its steeper terrain, which presents a unique set of hazards during ice events. Denison noted that the County Road Department utilizes a proactive approach to prevent these hills from becoming impassable.
Crews began pre-treating surfaces with a brine solution before the precipitation arrived, a tactic designed to melt ice from the “bottom up.” Once the snow packed down, crews transitioned to a specialized salt-sand-aggregate mix.
“If you see an area that’s brown in color, you’ll see the aggregate in there,” Denison explained, noting the mix includes a larger, pea-gravel-sized stone to provide much-needed traction on inclines.
Local Crews Stepping Up
While the Mississippi Department of Transportation (MDOT) is responsible for state highways like 301 and 302, Denison noted that county crews often step in to assist when state resources are stretched thin.
“To be honest, they (MDOT) have enough trouble doing their own roads,” Denison said. “There are many times that they need help from us. We’ve actually done a little work on 301… when we’ve got people slipping and sliding and can’t get through, we’re going to help them.”
Denison offered high praise for the Road Department’s dedication, noting that crews have been rotating shifts to ensure 24-hour coverage.
“I have to say kudos to our road department and our leadership there,” Denison said. “They’ve been on top of this since before it started. We’re ready to respond to whatever, and if residents have concerns, all they have to do is reach out.”
