Icy Roads Make Commute To Prep Hazardous

Icy+bridge+and+traffic+over+the+Pearl+River.+Photo+courtesy+of+Eliza+Brantley.

Icy bridge and traffic over the Pearl River. Photo courtesy of Eliza Brantley.

The icy conditions on the road made it very difficult to get to school on the morning of Friday, February 20.

A flurry of rain and freezing temperatures combined to make roads and particularly bridges icy and slick. There were several wrecks on major roadways. On I-20, there was a wreck near exit 56. It caused a major traffic delay due to all lanes being shut down. On I-55 near the Pearl Street Exit, there was another wreck. This delayed traffic for all people traveling south. Another wreck occurred north of Medgar Evers Boulevard and Industrial Drive. The Mississippi Department of Transportation reported that other counties in North Mississippi also had very icy conditions.

All of this traffic resulted in about 100 tardies in the senior high and 145 in the junior high (including Fusion showchoir members who had a competition). Coach Nell Bradford said, “Inclement weather and Prep students don’t mix.”

However, many students did not give up on their trek to school. Hudson Little left his house at 7:30 and arrived at Prep at 9. Tyler Tyree even came to school after being involved in a wreck. He had this to say about his wreck, “I just rear ended the guy.”

Some teachers were even affected by the weather. Dr. Paul Smith was stuck in traffic this morning, and it took him half an hour to make it to Prep from Airport Road. Students whose teachers had not made it to school were sent to the Lyceum to wait for their teachers.

Icy bridge and traffic over the Pearl River. Photo courtesy of Eliza Brantley.
Icy bridge and traffic over the Pearl River. Photo courtesy of Eliza Brantley.