SANDPOINT — Bonner County Road and Bridge officials are warning Bonner County residents to be careful as a forecast of constantly shifting weather could create danger.  

Jason Topp, Bonner County Road and Bridge director, issued the warning in a letter of how the variety of temperatures throughout the coming week would create dangerous road conditions.  

For the past week, temperatures have dipped down into the negatives, creating slick roads and issues for the department’s sanders and workers.  

“The sand freezes solid within 20 minutes of being loaded into our trucks. This causes our sander chains to bind up, stop, and sometimes break,” Topp said in the letter. “We try to put as much sand as possible down during this time. The operators must go back to the shop and thaw them out and head right back out. This makes for some very long days.”   

With negative temperatures coming to an end, the weather forecast is predicting several inches of snow over the weekend. Snow on top of icy roads creates an “icy covered snow floor.” The top layer of snow hides the ice, creating an illusion that the surface isn’t slick.  

Temperatures are expected to rise again Sunday, turning the snowfall into rain.  

“The roads are frozen, therefore when it rains, it will start to build ice on all the roads in Bonner County, including your driveways. We will sand the county roads, and the ice will build up over the sand and look as if we had never been there,” Topp said. “Please be patient with the road crews. We will get the roads sanded.” 

The department recommends residents stay off the roads, when possible, throughout the weekend. If individuals have to drive in these conditions, it is encouraged that they use chains, drive slowly and are cautious. For residents traveling this weekend, Idaho 511 provides real-time road condition updates through live cameras.  

All roads in Bonner County will be affected by the shift in weather. Higher elevation roads with steeper terrain pose the most danger. While county roads are taken care of in a matter of two days, residents are advised to clear out their driveways and in front of their mailboxes. Topp said the department does not replace damaged mailboxes hit by snow.  

“I hope this helps with a bit of a heads-up on what we expect to see with our roads over the next week or so. We will be doing our best to keep up. Thank you and please be safe,” said Topp.