Flooding closes county roads

Randolph County Highway Department continues to inspect county roads following Monday’s flooding.

County engineer Burrel Jones said drivers may not realize it from above if a structure underneath the road has been damaged. Someone from the highway department has to walk down there and examine the culverts that run underneath the road.

Jones gave The Leader a list of roads closed on Tuesday but said some may have been repaired and others may be added as they are confirmed damaged. He urges motorists to not drive around barricades or move the barricades because the problem may not be visible from your vantage point. He also urges residents to please not toss the barricades aside because this is a safety issue.

The roads closed as of Tuesday included: 849 near Cornith, 874 at Harmon Crossroads, 9 at Pine Hill, 434 at Graham, 532 near Newell, 803 near Auslin’s Chapel, 223 near Fuller’s Crossroads and 458 near Prospect Church.

Rainfall totals for Monday ranged from 3 to 5 inches around the county.

According to Alabama Power’s website, the lake is higher than normal for this time of year and should peak at elevation 791 on Wednesday. Spillway gates were opened during the rains.

Barricades on both sides of the flooded area keep motorists from trying to get from one side of 3rd Avenue in Wedowee to the other.