2008 Woodie Awards
Southwest in travel distress following storm
Erinn Abernathy
Issue date: 1/18/07 Section: Front Page
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Extensive amounts of snowfall and ice over western Kansas put a damper on travel plans for the holiday season. In less than two weeks, two winter storms caused delayed flights and closures of major highways in the state.
"I had plans to go to my grandma's for New Year's Eve, and if I didn't do that, I was going to a friend's house," Melissa Schritter, Goodland, Kan., said. "But I couldn't even get out of my own driveway, so I was stuck at home, couldn't do anything and I was pretty sad and frustrated."
Many Kansas highways, including US-50 and I-70 from Salina westbound to Colorado, were closed for several days during the two storm periods. With I-70 closed partially on New Year's Day, Schritter was delayed going back to college for meats judging practice.
"I had to be back on New Year's Day for meats judging practice, but I didn't make it back to town until Jan. 4, so I missed out on practice time and our practice meet road trip was postponed until the next day," Schritter said.
Kirk Hutchinson, public affairs manager for KDOT's Southwest Kansas district, said major highways in Kansas westbound to Colorado were closed down because of the limited places for people to stop and seek shelter between states. Hutchinson said crews were prepared for the weather and worked in shifts to clear the roads.
"A lot of folks put in hours to keep the roads clean, keep travel safe, and coordinated together to get information on road conditions out to the public," Hutchinson said.
Around Garden City, Bill Matheson, street superintendent, said crews worked in shifts to spread salt and sand on the streets. Matheson said in some areas, workers couldn't do much more because of the icy conditions.
"It's frustrating, especially around the holidays, when people have plans and they aren't able to commute because of the conditions," Matheson said. "The street department worked 24/7 to get as much done possible."
Numerous forms of transportation were affected by the winter blasts. Flights from and into Denver International Airport and Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, were delayed for several days or even cancelled, forcing passengers to find different routes for destinations. Taylor Hurd and his family originally had plans to fly out to California from Denver on Dec. 21, but instead, their flight was cancelled, prompting them to take the train three days later.
"I had plans to go to my grandma's for New Year's Eve, and if I didn't do that, I was going to a friend's house," Melissa Schritter, Goodland, Kan., said. "But I couldn't even get out of my own driveway, so I was stuck at home, couldn't do anything and I was pretty sad and frustrated."
Many Kansas highways, including US-50 and I-70 from Salina westbound to Colorado, were closed for several days during the two storm periods. With I-70 closed partially on New Year's Day, Schritter was delayed going back to college for meats judging practice.
"I had to be back on New Year's Day for meats judging practice, but I didn't make it back to town until Jan. 4, so I missed out on practice time and our practice meet road trip was postponed until the next day," Schritter said.
Kirk Hutchinson, public affairs manager for KDOT's Southwest Kansas district, said major highways in Kansas westbound to Colorado were closed down because of the limited places for people to stop and seek shelter between states. Hutchinson said crews were prepared for the weather and worked in shifts to clear the roads.
"A lot of folks put in hours to keep the roads clean, keep travel safe, and coordinated together to get information on road conditions out to the public," Hutchinson said.
Around Garden City, Bill Matheson, street superintendent, said crews worked in shifts to spread salt and sand on the streets. Matheson said in some areas, workers couldn't do much more because of the icy conditions.
"It's frustrating, especially around the holidays, when people have plans and they aren't able to commute because of the conditions," Matheson said. "The street department worked 24/7 to get as much done possible."
Numerous forms of transportation were affected by the winter blasts. Flights from and into Denver International Airport and Mid-Continent Airport in Wichita, were delayed for several days or even cancelled, forcing passengers to find different routes for destinations. Taylor Hurd and his family originally had plans to fly out to California from Denver on Dec. 21, but instead, their flight was cancelled, prompting them to take the train three days later.
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