Freezing Rain Causes Icy Road Conditions Across Area
PITTSBURGH (KDKA/AP) - The freezing rain mix that fell late Monday night into the overnight hours has made for an icy morning commute across the Pittsburgh area.
While the main roads are mostly just wet this morning, many side streets, sidewalks and walkways are slick with a layer of ice.
The storm has prompted plenty of school delays mixed with spotty closures in a wide swath stretching from Pittsburgh to Harrisburg to even Philadelphia. Commuters heading out early have found their cars and driveways covered in a coating of ice.
KDKA's Heather Abraham reports:
Salt trucks hit the local roadways in full force overnight, trying to stay on top of the conditions. Out in Westmoreland County, PennDOT crews headed out Monday evening, putting down a salt solution even before the freezing rain started to fall.
"Rather have snow; it's a lot easier to work with," said Dave Forkey, of PennDOT in Westmoreland County. "We had a storm last year, it was a flash freeze and it just was a mess; we had accidents all over the place."
Conditions were extremely treacherous on Fallowfield Avenue in Beechview this morning. There were a number of accidents there as vehicles lost control, sliding down the roadway.
Watch the raw video:
The slick conditions also prompted some road closures overnight.
KDKA's Ross Guidotti reports:
Officials closed Crane Avenue in Banksville around 12:30 a.m. after several accidents overnight. The road has since reopened.
Also, in Harmar Township, Route 28 was shut down overnight between the Harmar exit and RIDC Drive. Several minor accidents were causing major slow downs there. Crews salted the street, cleared the road and it reopened around 1 a.m.
Temperatures were forecast to rise through Tuesday with showers persisting.
However, anyone heading out is being urged use extra caution and to take it slow, even while just walking outside.
