Now that the calendar has turned to April, farm machinery will soon be on area roads as planting season begins. Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt says that many farmers have ground on both sides of Lake Red Rock, and encourages anyone needing to get to the other side with large implements to call the sheriff’s office to ensure a safe crossing.

“We have a really good relationship with farmers who farm on both the north and south sides of the lake, and crossing either the dam or the mile-long bridge. It’s gotten to the point where some farmers will call and say ‘I’m going to be at the mile-long bridge in 15 minutes, can you have a deputy head up that way?’ If it’s a big enough piece of equipment, whatever direction they’re headed, we’ll block it off, allow that equipment to get across and then let traffic go. We’d much rather have them call ahead than have them meet in the middle of the bridge.”

Sandholdt reminds all motorists to practice caution when navigating roads with farm machinery nearby, and encourages patience with slow-moving vehicles. Hear more about spring farm safety with Marion County Sheriff Jason Sandholdt on today’s Let’s Talk Knoxville.