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Rowan County officials praise road crews after prolonged winter storm, urge equipment and budget review
Summary
County road officials described multiple incidents during the winter storm: stuck trucks, near-misses, extended plow operations and heavy call volume. Road staff and supervisors asked county leaders to consider equipment and staffing in the next budget cycle.
Rowan County road and public-works leaders told the fiscal court on Jan. 21 that county crews worked extended shifts during a severe winter event, responding to multiple incidents where plow trucks and graders became stuck and where road crews had to rescue county equipment and vehicles.
Steve (Roads Director) described long, difficult shifts for road crews and cited specific incidents: a grader nearly tipped on Cold Springs Hill; multiple trucks got stuck while attempting to clear the same route; and one shift produced 286 phone calls to the road office while crews were actively plowing. "The majority of my guys, man, I can't say enough about them," Steve said, adding that crews "went above and beyond." Steve asked the court to consider adding trucks and personnel in the next budget to improve response capability.
Officials recounted several operational complications: trucks used as wreckers became stuck themselves; plows were lost or damaged during the event; and the county had to borrow or contract additional graders and equipment from neighboring counties or private contractors to clear blocked roads. County leaders said limited equipment and the sporadic nature of severe storms make it difficult to justify a large, permanent fleet expansion, but recommended the court consider incremental equipment and staffing additions during budget planning.
County leadership praised coordination among multiple departments and volunteer efforts, and noted the role of inmate crews and neighboring counties in providing temporary grader support. The fiscal court also highlighted that earlier purchases of four-wheel-drive ambulances had aided EMS response during the same period.
Ending: County officials said they will bring equipment and staffing needs into the upcoming budget discussions. They asked residents to recognize the difficulty of winter road operations and to report urgent access issues through county channels rather than relying solely on social media.
