LINCOLN COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) — In Lincoln County, the dirt roads are made of mud, thanks to the recent rains. In the small town of Midlothian, about seven miles south of Chandler, some residents are frustrated over the mess.
The county commissioner told News 4 this is going to be a problem for years to come.
"We need more gravel," said Commissioner Marlon Miller.
You have to take the country roads extra slow. They are a sea of red dirt.
It didn't take long for our News 4 crews to spot a sanitation worker stuck in the mud.
"The roads are super hazardous when they get wet because they're not well maintained. So it does make it difficult for us to do our route out here sometimes," said Sherral McVae, who got stuck.
Residents along CR 950 didn't want to go on camera, but they told News 4 they're frustrated with the mess.
Commissioner Miller said he understands. He also lives nearby.
He said the problem is money and supply.
"The rock quarries we were able to use ten years ago are not available anymore," said Miller.
Commissioner Miller said crews are driving up to 100 miles, nearly to Texas, Kansas, and north of Tulsa, just to get the rocks.
"It takes approximately 50 loads of gravel to gravel a mile, and we can only haul about six loads a day," Commissioner Miller.
That's a lot of money spent on diesel, tires, and truck payments. Plus, it's expensive.
"Our budget is about $2,300 a mile, and it costs a $1 million a mile to pave it," said Miller.
He said the area where the sanitation worker was stuck, has been treated before.
"I put 100 loads on that road less than two years ago," said Miller.
A couple of hours later, the sanitation worker got out. She creeped along the dirt roads, only to get stuck again a few minutes later.
"I would say for at least 20 years, it’s not going to get better," said Miller. "At that point we might have enough infrastructure down here to produce enough revenue to be able to pave some of these roads."
In the meantime, drive slow, don't drive on the roads that are closed, and give other drivers enough room.
