Franklin County winter weather brings sleet, ice, freezing rain

With uncharacteristically low temperatures along with sleet, ice and freezing rain, it’s not just time to bundle up and stay warm but also time to stay put as much as possible.

The Franklin County Emergency Management Agency, effective Jan. 15 at 11 a.m., posted a public notice of an “impassable travel advisory” explaining all county roads and bridges should be considered impassable “until further notice,” advising all travel be suspended or delayed, explaining only emergency vehicles should travel on county roads and bridges “until further notice.”

In light of the situation, Russellville and Phil Campbell have made warming station options available for those who need it.

Russellville

In Russellville, the police department lobby is open 24 hours a day. Those needing to warm up during this cold spell are invited to stop by.

The Park and Recreation Department opened the Old Canteen next to the A.W. Todd Centre on Washington Ave. as a warming station starting on Monday morning at 8 a.m. This location was  available for overnight stay Monday night. The situation was set to be reevaluated during the day Tuesday as to how long it would remain open. For questions, contact the Russellville Police Department at 256-332-2230.

Phil Campbell

The Phil Campbell Community Center on College Rd. opened beginning on Sunday at 7 p.m. and is set to remain open until Wednesday at 7 p.m. The situation will be reassessed at that time, and a decision will be made to stay open longer if needed. No pets, and no smoking or vaping. Patrol units will check in. Those who know of anyone that cannot make it to the community center and are in need of blankets are requested to let the Phil Campbell Police Department know. They can be contacted by phone at 205-993-5313.

The Russellville Police Department has been patrolling the roads to gauge potential dangers and posting reports on their Facebook page.