Crews in Baxter, Marion counties work to repair roads, bridges damaged from floods

Matthew Leiboult of White Buffalo Resort captured this image of the White River around 7 Saturday morning.

With the rainfall over and the waters receding, officials and crews throughout the Twin Lakes Area are dealing with the aftermath. Crews in Baxter and Marion counties are working to clean up the debris and make any necessary repairs to roads and bridges.

Currently, Baxter County Roads 63 and 46 remain closed due to the recent flooding. Baxter County Office of Emergency Management Director David Stults says road and bridge department crews are working on other areas.

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Baxter County has been declared a disaster area by the Arkansas Division of Emergency Management (ADEM). At last update, there were not any reports of property damage by any residents in the county, but Stults says that may change with the county being added to ADEM’s list.

Stults says Baxter County is responsible for patching up the rural county roads, but the state and U.S. highways lie in the jurisdiction of the Arkansas Department of Transportation.

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The city of Mountain Home was more fortunate than other portions of the county when it came to avoiding damage. Mayor Hillrey Adams says it currently appears all city streets are in good shape.

Marion County’s road graters are also in full use. Marion County Office of Emergency Management Director Melissa Penn says road crews are working to get as many roads passable as they can.

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There were some Marion County residents isolated due to two county roads being washed out. Crews were able to assist those residents in getting the roads cleared enough to get through.

With the amount of rain Marion County received, it’s common for pavement to be lifted on area roadways. Penn says the county has a number of potholes as a result.

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Stults and Penn are both asking for the public’s patience as crews work to get roads and bridges passable as soon as possible.

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