Sheriff: Don't ignore 'Road Closed - High Water' signs
SALEM, Ore. - Flood waters remains in parts of the Willamette Valley, and public safety officials say motorists are putting themselves in danger by ignoring barricades warning that roads are closed ahead.
"Our Public Works Department has asked that we do what we can to keep motorists from ignoring the "Road Closed – High Water" barricades," said Sgt. Craig Cunningham with the Marion County Sheriff's Office. "Until the roadway can be inspected, we won’t know if there are sinkholes or other issues that could be dangerous to motorists. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to conduct an inspection until the water recedes."
Signs warn that the road is closed in the area, historically prone to flooding.
Despite the warnings, deputies have issued over 100 citations in the past week. The most common excuse offered is that the driver was aware of the road closure but just didn’t want to drive the longer distance through Salem or perhaps felt that they could navigate through the water without danger, the sheriff's office said.
Violators are being cited for violating ORS 818.130 - Violation of Posted Limits on Use. Bail for this violation is $110.00.
Traffic deputies are focusing on River Road South in Salem, between Oroville Road and the bridge over the Willamette River in Independence, remains closed to all traffic. There are three areas where the road is still under 4 inches to 10 inches of standing water.
John Vanderzanden from Marion County Emergency Management said Public Works crews are monitoring the road and checking it 2-3 times a day.
Their current recommendation is that the road remain closed until conditions improve, he said.
Even as the water recedes, there are still areas of slick mud and debris that pose a significant danger to motorists, he said. This danger is increased during the hours of darkness when visibility is restricted.
Firefighters in Albany know firsthand the dangers high water can pose to motorists: the department responded to a double fatality when flood waters swept a car into a canal and killed a mother and her infant son, and crews just barely reached a man in time as his car sank in high water.
