Blizzard Conditions Close Portions Of MN Roadways, Including Hwy 371 North Of Brainerd
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO/AP) -- Minnesota transportation officials say Highway 371 north of Brainerd has been closed until further notice following a crash Friday afternoon.
According to MnDOT, the crash occurred on the highway near Hole-in-the-Day Bay. The road is closed in both directions between Ojibwa Park Road North and Peterson Road. A detour has been set up as state patrol investigate the 20-30-car pileup.
No life-threatening injuries have been reported. Four people were hospitalized for non-life threatening injures, the State Patrol said on Saturday.
EMERGENCY CLOSURE UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE: Hwy 371 closed near Hole-in-the-Day Bay, N of Brainerd due to crash. Detour via Wise Rd, CR. 3 thru Merrifield, to CR 13, to Hwy 371 Nisswa. Use other routes, give emergency workers room to work. https://t.co/LJhWkB3cCM pic.twitter.com/FlnDLRMLrv
— MnDOT District 3 (@MnDOTcentral) February 18, 2022
Motorists are advised to give emergency workers room to work by using other routes.
NW & WC MN: some areas/hwys had 100s of motorists stranded due to zero visibility - Troopers & Law Enforcement were able to assist & escort off the hwys. We are still assisting several that went off the road/cleaning things up - please be patient & we will advise when roads open pic.twitter.com/3EzOXctUqd
— Sgt. Jesse Grabow (@MSPPIO_NW) February 18, 2022
Meanwhile, the North Dakota Highway Patrol has closed Interstate 29 from Fargo to the Canadian border due to blowing snow and near-zero visibility. Motorists face fines if they travel on roads that have been closed. Highway 2 from Devils Lake to Grand Forks is also closed.
No travel is advised in much of the Red River Valley.
"Those winds are making their way into the Valley from north to south. As to conditions on I-29 right now, with the temperature changing, we've got icy roads combined with zero visibility," said Highway Patrol Capt. Brian Niewind.
More than a dozen vehicles were involved in a chain-reaction crash on Interstate 94 just west of Valley City on Friday morning, Niewind told KOVC-AM. Three people were hurt. The crashes closed the westbound lane of the interstate for nearly three hours, he said.
The National Weather Service issued a blizzard warning for all of eastern North Dakota and parts of northwestern Minnesota. Wind gusts of up to 65 mph were expected with isolated gusts of 70 mph.
The Minnesota Department of Transportation and State Patrol have also closed parts of at least 11 highways in northwestern Minnesota.
(© Copyright 2022 CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. The Associated Press contributed to this report.)