Get Answers: Why not close icy streets?

Icy roads were to blame for several crashes around the Albuquerque metro area Tuesday, which prom...  More »

Icy roads were to blame for several crashes around the Albuquerque metro area Tuesday, which prompted one Eyewitness News 4 viewer to ask why the city doesn’t close roads when they are dangerous. Eyewitness News 4 asked city officials, and the answer is slow going is better than not being able to go anywhere. “It sounds like a good idea in theory, but if they close the streets down a lot of people wouldn’t be able to go to work,” said truck driver Rod Diem, who typically spends eight hours a day on the road. “We never try to close roads,” said Michael Riordan, Acting Director of Municipal Development for Albuquerque. The full force of Tuesday morning’s storm arrived a little later than expected, but the sudden freeze wasn’t nearly enough to start putting up roadblocks. “The largest event we had in 2006, we didn’t even close roads then,” said Riordan. Riordan says the city relies on its own radar system and the National Weather Service to decide when to start snowplows and salt trucks moving. “We try to keep the traffic moving as much as we can. That’s our job to keep the roads open, safe and passable,” said Riordan. So don’t plan on city streets being closed when a typical storm rolls through. “If you’re not feeling safe or not feeling comfortable in your capabilities of driving in weather, I would say that’s your decision,” said Riordan. And if you decide to drive, just take it easy. “It goes back to being very careful and making sure every person takes responsibilities for themselves in being careful out there,” said Riordan. The New Mexico Department of Transportation closes state roads and highways on the advice of state police and based on current weather conditions and accidents.  « Less