Drivers slide, crash on freeways as winter storm moves into Ann Arbor area
A pedestrian walks past the Washington Street parking garage entrance in downtown Ann Arbor as snow begins to pelt the area early Tuesday afternoon,
Lon Horwedel | Ann Arbor.com
Motorists in the Ann Arbor area will find slush-covered and slippery roads and may encounter delays from crashes, as they commute home this evening in the midst of a winter storm.
Emergency crews have been dealing with multiple crashes all afternoon. The Washtenaw County Road Commission has its entire available fleet on the road this afternoon, said Jim Harmon, director of operations.
“We’ve salted the roads and that snow that’s fallen has turned into slush,” he said. He advised motorists to exercise caution. “Slow down and drive according to those conditions. Leave lots of space. The way the storm's timed with evening rush hour can create some difficult driving conditions. We want everyone to use good judgment.”
The National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory until midnight tonight, with the bulk of the snowfall timed to hamper the evening commute. From 2 to 3 inches of snow is expected to fall between 3 p.m. and 9 p.m. Light snow will continue after that, with 3-4 inches accumulating by morning, said Amos Dodson, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in White Lake Township.
About 4:30 p.m., police were responding to at least nine crashes on US-23, M-14 and I-94 in the Ann Arbor area, a dispatcher with the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department said.The forecast indicates the rate of snow will increase during the evening rush hour, Harmon said, and the Road Commission will keep the day shift of 45 trucks (down one because of an equipment problem) on until 8 p.m. At that point a four-person night crew will take over to focus on state highways only. At 4 a.m., the entire day shift will report to work again to salt and plow roads in advance of the morning commute.
By then the storm should be over, and crews will spend the rest of the day clearing main and secondary roads.
Just before 4 p.m., Harmon said crews were scraping off the slush that had formed as a result of the first round of salt. Trucks would then lay down another layer of salt and alternate scraping with salting throughout the evening.
Though some people may question why crews don’t lay down salt ahead of the storm, Harmon said that would be wasteful. Traffic would knock the salt into the ditches and storm sewers, he said. One the road is wet, traffic helps break down the nuggets of salt into a brine that is very effective at preventing snow and ice from bonding with the pavement.
Police advised drivers to take it easy.
"If people would slow down, they would have no problems," said Sgt. Chris Pascoe of the Ypsilanti Post of the Michigan State Police, "but they’re driving too fast. We live in Michigan. You'd think people would know that by now, but everyone is always in a hurry."
Area school districts contacted this afternoon said they had no immediate plans to alter school schedules or cancel evening activities because of the snow.
A message posted on the Ann Arbor Public Schools website this evening said Pioneer High School had canceled a boys basketball game against Bedford. Rec and Ed volleyball games had been canceled. Other activities after-school activities and practices were expected to continue.
Ypsilanti Public Schools spokeswoman Emma Jackson and Saline Area Schools Superintendent Scot Graden said they had no plans to cancel any activities.
The weather service said roads will become snow-covered and hazardous, and quickly accumulating snow will make them hard to treat. Also, periods of intense snowfall are expected to cause poor visibility.
For updated forecasts, check AnnArbor.com's weather page.
Comments
actionjackson
Fri, Jan 14, 2011 : 8:53 a.m.
@Sallyxyz, Yep that's the attitude SUE THEM! Maybe you ended up in the wrong city? Ann Arbor does a fine job of taking care of snow conditions. Drivers sometimes drive too fast, tailgate, or just don't maintain tires for the conditions expected of a MidWest winter. Why not the city and townships sue all the drivers who have incidents that can be proven to be lack of maintenance? How would you like to be on that end of litigation?
Kai Petainen
Thu, Jan 13, 2011 : 12:23 a.m.
nice photo!
trs80
Wed, Jan 12, 2011 : 2 p.m.
Snow on the gorund? Buy some snow tires, the only reason not too is you're too cheap. 4wd and Awd make a huge difference. If you do not want to admit then you are just being a bigot. Good luck with that.
Sallyxyz
Wed, Jan 12, 2011 : 5:38 a.m.
The explanation put forth in this article re: pre-salting is just hooey: "Though some people may question why crews dont lay down salt ahead of the storm, Harmon said that would be wasteful. Traffic would knock the salt into the ditches and storm sewers, he said. One the road is wet, traffic helps break down the nuggets of salt into a brine that is very effective at preventing snow and ice from bonding with the pavement." I know for a fact that other cities use a brine on streets and roads PRIOR to storms, and they do not just throw out dry salt, which is what Harmon is implying here. I've lived in Minneapolis, Buffalo, Syracuse, and other snow belt cities, and I've never seen snow removal so inadequate and poor as living in A2. Does A2 only have one option, salting after the storm starts so the cars mix it with the snow? This is REACTIVE snow removal, not PROACTIVE snow removal. Hey, Washtenaw County, get more updated materials and learn what other cities are doing in MODERN snow removal. They do NOT wait for big storms to come and then have the cars slipping around and crashing while applying salt after the storm starts! This is not adequate, by any stretch. Other cities apply the brine mixture AHEAD of the storm, not just throw dry salt around on dry roads, but they use a brine mixture designed specifically for use on dry roads before the snow and ice start. Get with it, Washtenaw County and A2! Maybe a few people who have accidents or who are injured should start suing the county and city for poor snow removal. That might get their attention.
actionjackson
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 11:52 p.m.
Four wheel drive takes just as long to stop!
Nephilim
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 11:51 p.m.
It's the tire tracks from the vehicles leaving the parking structure.
MIKE
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 11:42 p.m.
TheGerman I have been driving 25 years in snow, and have never needed snow tires. No accidents either. I'm a professional driver, so I know how to handle snow. Snow tires are for people that can't.
loves_fall
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 11:33 p.m.
I drive a 4WD, and I love it. However, while my vehicle was undergoing repairs a couple of weeks ago (thanks to another brilliant driver) I drove a minivan. I have to say, it's a different experience. 4WD/AWD is more capable, plain and simple, but aggressive driving doesn't help anyone. Intimidating people who can't get traction just makes them more nervous and panicky and more likely to push limits they shouldn't push, which just makes the roads more dangerous for everyone on them. If you can drive easily in the snow, be thankful for it, and give the people who can't pull off the same maneuvers some space -- they're struggling. Not everyone can afford a summer car and a winter SUV. My pet peeve of today was on Huron Parkway approaching Washtenaw, a bunch of cars pulled middle-of-the-street U-turns at the hill on the south side of the Huron River bridge because they didn't want to wait in traffic. I counted 3 near misses in the 5 minutes I was there, and all the offending drivers seemed blissfully unaware of the problems they were causing the other drivers.
TheGerman
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 11:06 p.m.
@MIKE You are SO wrong about snow tires. So called All-Season tires aren't good at anything, they are merely acceptable. Your statement clearly proves that you have never driven a car that was properly equipped for this weather. I don't know what the 50s have to do with snow tires, but they should be a legal requirement.
Winter Wonderland
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 10:58 p.m.
I love the photograph, too. I need help understanding where the arches and straight lines are coming from, though... Sorry I'm slow!
MIKE
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 10:14 p.m.
stunhsif How many sets of snow tires have you sold this year? Snow tires are not needed, it's not the fifties. Todays all weather tires are enough. Snow tires just end up rotting away in the garage over the summer.
stunhsif
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 10:09 p.m.
Annie said: "The kind of tires is NOT the problem, it's the people who don't know how to drive in the snow that is the problem. I stand by something I say all winter long: "I trust my driving, it's the other people I have to worry about." You obviously have never had modern snow tires on your vehicle or you would not have said the tires are not part of the problem. I put snow tires on my two cars every winter, they make a huge difference, especially when braking. I am a libertarian Annie but my safety, your safety is too important to have morons our there driving on bald tires and cars that are unsafe with bad brakes. I believe car inspections are a necessary evil, kinda like making motorcycle riders wear helmets. We all end up paying for other people's stupidity.
Nephilim
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 10:09 p.m.
Way cool photo. Yea I didn't get it either until I zoomed in a little. I honestly think the picture tamed the beast. This is the mildest posts In that amount I've seen on a topic such as this. Good job Lon and great job people for being the most civil I think I've seen thus far, me included.
M.
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 10:07 p.m.
Please tell Lon Horwedel his photo is GREAT!!!
Annie
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 9:46 p.m.
stunhsif - Call me a bit of a libertarian, but I don't need a law to tell me what kind of tires to put on my vehicle. I can drive just fine without snowtires. The kind of tires is NOT the problem, it's the people who don't know how to drive in the snow that is the problem. I stand by something I say all winter long: "I trust my driving, it's the other people I have to worry about." But I must chime in about the photo, as well. Took me a second to figure out what it was. Great shot!
Greggy_D
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 9:28 p.m.
"It is not only remembering how to drive in the winter it is also having the right equipment. Snow tires on cars should be a state law from Dec 1st through March 15th. There should be an inspection process and if your vehicle does not comply, you plate is revoked and your car sits until you comply." How does this prevent drivers from driving like morons? It doesn't. They will still drive too fast for conditions and they will crash. As mentioned earlier....when the conditions dictate SLOW DOWN.
stunhsif
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 9 p.m.
It is not only remembering how to drive in the winter it is also having the right equipment. Snow tires on cars should be a state law from Dec 1st through March 15th. There should be an inspection process and if your vehicle does not comply, you plate is revoked and your car sits until you comply.
Greggy_D
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 8:53 p.m.
"According to the advocates for faster driving, who very recently prevailed at city council, this represents the kind of criteria by which the city is supposed to set posted speed limits around town. As a result, unsafe drivers, in great enough numbers, can effectively set standards like this that everyone else will be pressured to follow." You still do not get it. We advocate speed limits according to the 85th percentile WHEN CONDITIONS ARE ACCEPTABLE for such speeds. You choose to focus on conditions that exist less than one half of one percent during the year. Regardless, driving too fast for conditions is already against the law.....even if the speed limit is 25 mph.
A2transplant
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 8:48 p.m.
Having an AWD or 4WD vehicle does not entitle one to bear down on another vehicle; rain, sleet or shine. Bottom line is: maintain a safe distance between vehicles and quit trying to teach other people a lesson or punish them because of their circumstances by endangering everyone's lives on the roads. If you're tailgating and they hit a patch of ice and start spinning out, they may just take you with them. Or--create an accident, in which case YOU'LL be stuck there even longer. Not surprisingly, Michigan made the top five list of worst tailgating offenders: http://www.smartmotorist.com/traffic-and-safety-guideline/maintain-a-safe-following-distance-the-3-second-rule.html
Speechless
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 8:41 p.m.
"... "If people would slow down, they would have no problems," said Sgt. Chris Pascoe of the Ypsilanti Post of the Michigan State Police, "but they're driving too fast. We live in Michigan. You'd think people would know that by now, but everyone is always in a hurry." ..." According to the advocates for faster driving, who very recently prevailed at city council, this represents the kind of criteria by which the city is supposed to set posted speed limits around town. As a result, unsafe drivers, in great enough numbers, can effectively set standards like this that everyone else will be pressured to follow.... And I'll join the growing chorus who have complimented the great photo!
trs80
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 8:03 p.m.
zip the cat, nice blanket statement. Just because I can drive in the snow and someone can not does not make myself the danger anymore than them. Same could be said, if you do not have 4wd or Awd with good winter tires you are the hazard on the road. Your Fwd sedan was not made for winter driving and thus more prone to cause/create an accident. It is about situational awareness. Watch out for other vehicles, watch the intersections, and most important buy some snow tires (they do make a difference)!
81wolverine
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 7:22 p.m.
Nice January snowfall. I'd rather have it snow this time of year than be grey, brown, and nasty outside. At least the snow enables us to ski and enjoy a white, beautiful winter landscape. BUT, please drive safely outside.
Salinemary
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 7:19 p.m.
Great photo, Lon. As for the roads, if all drivers would remember common courtesy, like don't block intersections, driveways, etc., drive slow and leave plenty of room, it would be an easy journey for all.
Michael
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 7:05 p.m.
Not even sure how anyone can go too fast for the conditions out there today. I just spent an hour driving across town, bumper to bumper on every road, rarely ever going over 5mph... maybe 10mph if lucky. I seriously started to believe it might be faster to walk.
Dalex64
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 7:01 p.m.
It's like people don't understand that tailgating you won't intimidate the car in front of you (or me for that matter) go faster.
RoboLogic
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 6:46 p.m.
Enter the photo for A2.com photo of the year. Very Creative.
jns131
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 6:39 p.m.
I was tailgated all the way home on the freeway. Yes and no it would be funny to see the car spin out but then not because you don't want anyone to get hurt. There were accidents at 3:30 at the corner of Washtenaw and Arlington. Nothing left of both ends then again across from Tappan on Washtenaw. I saw this one car swinging his tail just trying to get thru a lite. Scary. Winter driving does indeed bring out the nuts.
zip the cat
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 6:33 p.m.
Once again the morons are out in force. Just because you own a gas guzzling suv does not mean you can drive like its summer. And whats with the tailgateing when people slow down
AAmom
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 6:23 p.m.
Love the photo!
Carolyn
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 5:26 p.m.
Beautiful photo!
pvitaly
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:52 p.m.
That photo is so cool!
jeanarrett
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:51 p.m.
Agreed on Lon's photo! It took me a minute to figure out what the "arches" were. Great pic.
Shadeau
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:36 p.m.
I witnessed one of those accidents just about two hours ago. Slow down and be careful.
Tom Joad
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:32 p.m.
BREAKING NEWS: It's winter. It snows.
Steve Gilzow
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:26 p.m.
Lon Horwedel's photo is a work of art. Love it!
Ignatz
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:20 p.m.
Let the Keystone Cops chases begin! Seriously, I hope folks drive safely with nobody getting hurt.
Snehal
Tue, Jan 11, 2011 : 3:16 p.m.
What will it take for Michigan drivers to learn and remember winter driving?