Sanders declares State of Emergency ahead of wintry weather

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (KAIT) - With a winter storm expected to dump sleet and snow on much of the Natural State, Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders declared a State of Emergency Monday morning.

The declaration will allow commercial vehicles, including trucks that deliver groceries and transformers, to bypass all Arkansas Department of Transportation weigh station facilities through Feb. 24.

“The weather-related conditions could create the need for commercial vehicles to haul heavy equipment, oversized loads, transformers, necessary hardware, and other transmission and distribution equipment for the purpose of restoring utility services to the citizens of Arkansas,” the governor stated. “The weather-related conditions could result in a backlog of deliveries by commercial vehicles transporting essential items of commerce to customers in Arkansas.”

According to Monday’s announcement, the authorization “does not relieve size and weight restrictions” and only applies to weigh stations and vehicles traveling in convoy.

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