Semi truck sticks in muddy road Monday

A semi truck got stuck on a dirt road in Washington County Monday afternoon before it was hauled away. According to the Washington County Communications Center, a semi truck got stuck on Kiwi Avenue, just south of 250th Street, at approximately 1 p.m. Monday. A deputy and someone from the county roads department responded to the scene.

Washington County Engineer David Patterson said that the county will not pursue damages to the road from the incident.

?Generally speaking, if it?s an accident, it?s not a big deal,? Patterson said. ?Our understanding is that the semi was making a delivery and his GPS routed him down the dirt road.?

Patterson said the county usually only pursues damages when dirt roads are damaged by ?mud running.?

?If someone is using a dirt road to goof around, that?s when we?ll pursue damages,? he said.

Patterson said mud running was a problem until the county stepped up its enforcement in 2009. He said a person can be charged with criminal mischief for mud running.

?In the past, this would be a time of increased mud running, but since we started taking direct action, mud running has fallen dramatically,? he said.

Patterson recommends that anyone who sees mud running should contact the sheriff?s office. The number to the Washington County Communications Center is 319-653-2107.

Dirt roads are classified differently than gravel roads and receive a different level of care. For instance, dirt roads are not plowed in the winter. They are also not supposed to be used after a rain because they are too muddy to pass through.  

?Dirt roads are mostly for fair weather travel,? Patterson said. ?They do not receive much traffic in the winter. Washington County residents know that if it?s raining, you can?t travel down dirt roads. Usually, the people who get stuck are from out of town or they are people looking for a joy ride.?

Patterson said that with warm weather and rain in the forecast, this week is not a good week to use dirt roads.