Highway department facing challenging storm cleanup

The Cook County Highway Department is working hard to get roads cleared from the snowstorm that dumped 12-18 inches on the county. It is challenging to say the least. As of 2 p.m., the snow had lessened significantly, but the winter storm warning is still in place until 9 p.m. tonight.

The Cook County Highway Department itself encountered problems while clearing the Mink Road Ranch in Lutsen. A plow truck slid off the side of the road at around 9 a.m., slowing down snow removal on the west end of the county.

The highway department also issued a travel alert, advising that the Gunflint Trail is not suitable for casual travel. Multiple trucks are taking care of the road but they are not able to keep up with the continued snowfall. The side roads will not receive maintenance until the snow stops.

If you need to travel for emergency situations, please use caution and remain at a speed at which you can control your vehicle.

If you must travel anywhere, keep an extra flashlight, food, and water in your vehicle in case of an emergency. The latest road conditions can be obtained by calling 5 1 1. Road conditions can also be found at 511mn.org for Minnesota or 511wi.gov for Wisconsin.