To the Editor:
Barbara Armstrong from Tripp was killed on Highway 37 on the curve near the Hutchinson Davison County line just before 10 a.m Jan. 10.
That morning, I was headed to Parkston. I took North Main to Highway 18. It looked salted with wheel tracks both ways. I stepped on the gas, and the tires spun. I slowed to 30-35 miles per hour. Highway 37 was the same.
When I left Parkston to go back, the frost was gone and the road looked wet. I sped up to 60 mph and set my cruise. The tires started to spin so I slowed to 30-35 again. A few miles south, the road was frosty again.
Now had the state been out salting and the wind blew it off the road? Or did someone have to get killed before they started salting?
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We went to Sioux Falls early one morning on Highway 18, and you didn't know if was frosted or salted. I would tap the brakes and it was OK. It had been salted. Ask anyone that drives at night or early morning, and they will tell you the same thing.
A party from Sioux Falls was cited for overdriving road conditions when they went through the stop sign on Highway 37. Highway 42 had been salted; the snow drifted across and it was slippery.
I would have been in the same boat if I hadn't been slowing to turn into Mike's Corner. Sand would have helped stop the party from Sioux Falls in time.
A woman was killed by Alexandria on Interstate 90 when a semi-jackknifed and she slid under it. The road was said to have been salted but the snow drifted over it -- again, no sand.
I have been told by people that are on the road a lot that when the wind is blowing and they are salting, it blows into the ditch before it hits the road.
Now that Ford Ranger that was on I-90 went over a slick overpass, then hit the dry road and rolled. The state should have been out and sanded it. No wreck.
Ray Grambihler
Tripp
