At 1 p.m. today, the Coconino County Public Works Department will close a seven-mile stretch of Lake Mary Road, also known as Forest Highway-3 (FH-3), due to high winds and drifting snow from large snowstorms that are forecast to impact the region.
The closure will be in effect between the north entrance of Mormon Lake (near the scenic overlook) and the south entrance of Mormon Lake, which is about 35 miles southeast of Flagstaff. During this closure traffic will detour along the West Side Mormon Lake Road, which loops Mormon Lake and goes through Mormon Lake Village. Motorists are asked to drive with care along the detour route.
The snowstorms also have prompted the closure of Perkinsville Road (FH-73) at White Horse Road, which is approximately 7.8 miles south of Williams, Ariz. Stoneman Lake Road also will be closed between Interstate 17 and Lake Mary Road.
These closures are necessary due to forecast high winds and drifting heavy snow caused by wind. When drifting occurs, visibility becomes limited and there is an increased difficulty for County snowplow operators to keep the road clear of snow. These closures, which must be done in advance of snowstorms, also will free up Public Works’ limited snow removal and ice control resources to keep other County roads open and passable.
The section of Lake Mary Road, along with Perkinsville Road and Stoneman Lake Road, will remain closed until weather conditions allow for the County to safely reopen these roadways.
A Winter Storm Warning from the National Weather Service (NWS) will be in effect from 2 p.m. today until 5 p.m. tomorrow, Wednesday, February 7. Periods of heavy snowfall and strong winds will cause near-zero visibility and create very dangerous travel conditions during this storm.
For questions about snow removal operations and related road conditions, please contact the following:
- Coconino County: For County maintained roads, please call Public Works at 928-679- 8300 during normal business hours (7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.).
- Follow Coconino County on social media: Facebook at www.facebook.com/CoconinoCounty, Twitter/X at www.twitter.com/CoconinoCounty, Instagram @CoconinoCounty, and Nextdoor @CoconinoCounty for updates on road and weather conditions as they become available.
- City of Flagstaff Public Works: Please call 928-213-2100 during normal business hours.
- Arizona Department of Transportation (ADOT): For highway road conditions, please call 5-1-1 or visit ADOT’s online Traffic Operations Center at www.az511.gov.
- National Weather Service (NWS): For weather information about winter storms, please visit the NWS web page at www.weather.gov/flagstaff.
- Emergencies: To report snow-related road emergencies, please call 9-1-1.
As a reminder, the County’s winter parking ordinance Winter Parking Ordinance 2022-06, always prohibits parking along County maintained rights-of-way between November 1 and April 1 and allows for the civil enforcement of parking restrictions either by citation (not less than $200 fine) or towing.
For Snow Removal Information, Weather Updates, and Winter Preparedness Tips, the public is encouraged to visit and bookmark www.coconino.az.gov/snow.
[…] Story continues […]