Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) highway maintenance crews are assisting with tornado damage response in several area counties.
Specifically, crews in Marshall County and Graves County are working to clear roadways to assist with emergency response. Neighboring crews are gearing up to assist with a number of issues.
Initially, members of the Graves County Crew had difficulty making their way to the maintenance facility in Mayfield to organize a response effort. There is damage near the maintenance facility and it is without power, but functional.
Crews are using snow plows and other heavy equipment to clear debris from roadways.
At this time, the Marshall County Highway Maintenance Crew is clearing debris from roadways in the Moors Camp Area. They are also re-routing traffic on Interstate 69 between Benton and Mayfield.
A major power line is down near the Mayfield Airport and the Graves-Marshall County Line between the KY 131 Mayfield Exit and the U.S. 641-Spur Exit 41 Interchange at Benton. Due to damage and debris along KY 58/Mayfield Highway it cannot be used as a detour. Due to the number of trees down along this section of I-69 it could remain closed until sometime late in the day on Saturday.
I-69 southbound traffic is being routed along U.S. 641 South toward Murray. Crews are trying to check for damage to determine an appropriate alternate route. Due to the widespread damage and severity of damage overnight travel is not advised along I-69 and parallel routes in Marshall County or Graves County.
The McCracken County Highway Maintenance Crew is heading to Mayfield to assist the Graves County Crew with clearing debris from roadways.
Fulton County reports heavy damage to houses and farm buildings in the Cayce community along KY 94, KY 239, and KY 166. The crew has cleared trees to reopen KY 94 between U.S. 51 and Hickman.
Crews will remain available to assist emergency management, fire departments, and rescue squad personnel with access to damaged areas.
Area residents are asked to avoid travel in the damaged areas to avoid interfering with the emergency response effort.
It may be morning before KYTC crews can provide a reliable report of blocked highways and more fully assess transportation issues.
Updates as appropriate.
To get traffic advisories and alerts for KYTC District 1 counties via email please go to https://public.govdelivery.
Timely traffic advisories for the 12 counties of KYTC Highway District 1 are available by going to www.facebook.com/kytcdistrict1
Photo: Graves County Courthouse destroyed by tornado tonight. Steven Elder photo.