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Posted on Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 7:45 a.m.

Multiple accidents reported on icy roadways Monday morning

By John Counts

012813_NEWS_Weather_MRM_01.jpg

Jerry Quigley shovels a mix of snow and ice from the sidewalk in front of his apartment on Greene Street in Ann Arbor Monday morning. Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com

Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com

Last updated at 8:44 a.m.:

Several crashes were reported on icy Ann Arbor-area roadways during the Monday morning commute.

At of 7:30 a.m., Washtenaw County dispatch was reporting at least five different accidents: westbound M-14 at Curtis Road, eastbound Interstate 94 at Baker Road, westbound M-14 at Barton Drive, eastbound I-94 at Rawsonville Road, southbound U.S. 23 at Geddes Road and eastbound M-14 near North Maple Road.

As of 8 a.m., Joyce Williams with Huron Valley Ambulance said no one had been taken to the hospital from any of the Monday morning accidents.

Sunday night, however, a 60-year-old Ann Arbor man was transported to the University of Michigan Hospital in critical condition after a one-car accident on Dexter-Ann Arbor Road near Pratt Road in Scio Township, Williams said. Police say the vehicle hit a utility police.

Deputies from the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office were dispatched to the area from the accident around 8:15 p.m. The driver was listed in stable condition Monday morning, police said.

Jim Harmon, director of operations for the Washtenaw County Road Commission, said crews were called in at 4:30 p.m. Sunday and had worked throughout the night to battle the sleet and icy roads.

“We’re continuing to recover,” he said. “Our major roadways are in pretty fair shape.”

Harmon said trucks continue to remove slush from intersections and highways' on and off ramps. He warned motorists to take caution when driving through those problem areas.

As the weather warms later in the morning, the trucks will transition from freeways and surface roads into subdivisions, Harmon said.

Many schools across Washtenaw County were closed Monday morning due to the icy conditions, which were expected to subside as temperatures will rise to a high of 48. The weather at 7:30 was foggy and hovering around freezing at 32 degrees.

A wild roller coaster ride of weather was expected for the rest of the week. The forecast for Tuesday calls for a high of 61 and a chance of thunderstorms before temperatures begin falling again.

Tom Kines, a meteorologist with AccuWeather, said warm air pushing up from the Gulf of Mexico is what's causing temperatures to rise to 20 degrees above normal for this time of year -- but just for Tuesday.

Highs Wednesday morning were expected to remain in the 40s or low 50s, but then plummet throughout the day to single digits that night, Kines said. Thursday's high is 25.


View Ice Storm in a larger map

John Counts covers cops and courts for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.

Comments

jcj

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 6:14 p.m.

Where are all the county road commission haters?

ruminator

Tue, Jan 29, 2013 : 1:27 p.m.

Doesn't working "straight through" make up for days when there wasn't quite enough to do but got paid for 8 hours anyway? Road commission workers have a job to do when the conditions demand. They are well compensated with your tax dollars for the hours necessary to get the job done. I'm not a hater as you put it. Just realistic.

MgoBlueMomma

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 7 p.m.

I was sure to think I'd fine some in here to jcj.....I have to say GREAT JOB WCRC. You guys cleaned the roads up well considering the snow and the ice. I know MANY of them had been working since 5pm yesterday straight through.

Bertha Venation

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 4:21 p.m.

Streets in town were just slushy & sloppy @ 7:30 this a.m. I was lucky. The most difficult part of the trip was salting my way from the back door to the garage! Porch & driveway were one solid sheet of ice.

tdw

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 9:45 p.m.

Bertha.....that was funny

Bertha Venation

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 9:23 p.m.

Yepppir, TDW! 4WD w/snow tires, chains, and a hemi! WOOOOHAH!!! Watch out for Granny in the Crash Helmet! :)

tdw

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 5:06 p.m.

Bertha...I'm just curious.Is your scooter a four wheel drive with snow tires ? ( this is made in humor BTW )

Nicholas Urfe

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 4:14 p.m.

Won't someone please get Jerry Quigley one of those shovels with the bent handle? They're so much easier on your back.

RunsWithScissors

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 5:23 p.m.

@ tdw First you have to find a 16 year old with a strong work ethic. And then you have to pry the mobile device outta their clutches.

tdw

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 5:10 p.m.

Nicholas.....You know what's even better than a shovel with a bent handle ?......A 16 year old kid who has the day off from school

tdw

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 1:33 p.m.

Paula.....I knew you were speaking a little too soon

justcurious

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 4:52 p.m.

OK, when I got here tdw had one thumbs down so I gave him a thumb's up just to even out the score. I think I confuse them with someone else sometimes....lol

tdw

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 4:49 p.m.

treetown....You hit the nail right on the head.I don't recall if I agree or disagree with most of your comments, but I promise if I'm gonna give you a thumbs down and you already have them but with no reply's I'll give one

WalkingJoe

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 3:55 p.m.

Just so you know tdw, I voted you up. I think some of these folks vote down just to vote down.

treetowncartel

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 3:37 p.m.

@ tdw, I think the down votes are more attributable to people's opinions about the poster than they are actually related to each specific post. I know I have gained my share of enemies for voicing my opinion here. Oh, and you are certainly right, Paula. one of A2.com's journalists, did mention something about relatively few crashes around 7:30 am Monday, January 28, 2013 on this specific topic in an earlier article that appeared on this webpage.

dancinginmysoul

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 2:55 p.m.

It's true. She did.

tdw

Mon, Jan 28, 2013 : 1:56 p.m.

Ah...gotta love the no reply thumbs down trolls here. Paula.....Just so you know, my comment was in no way meant to be criticism