Cranberry Twp. Roads Start To Become Slick As Temperatures Drop
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CRANBERRY TOWNSHIP (KDKA) -- Temperatures started to drop and rain turned to snow throughout the Pittsburgh area Friday evening, creating some potentially hazardous road conditions.
Once it switched over to ice, it didn't take long before there was a slippery coating on many surfaces.
"When I hit the highway it was mostly just wet," Jennifer Collins, of Connoquenessing Township, said, "but the back roads are definitely building on the ice."
Some businesses -- such as a Chick-fil-A, a Supercuts and a medical scrubs clothing store -- all closed early so employees could get home safely.
Supercuts & Chick-fil-A among businesses closing early in Cranberry because of the expected bad weather. #weather @CBSPittsburgh pic.twitter.com/Nm3jeNFTaX
— David Highfield (@DavidHighfield) January 12, 2018
Even Cranberry Township sent non essential employees home. Salt trucks have been out in force, trying to keep ice from bonding to the roads.
Public Works Director Jason Dailey is monitoring road conditions from the traffic operations center with the help of dozens of cameras.
Here, like in other parts of the area, plow drivers anticipate making several runs all night long.
"The guys could be out two or three times overnight and we do expect them to be out overnight until the completion of this event tomorrow morning," Jason Dailey, with Cranberry Public Works, said.
Despite all that effort, given the forecast, he advises people to stay off the roads if they can.
PennDOT temporarily reduced the speed limit on several roads in Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties.
Speeds were reduced to 45 mph on I-79, I-579, the Parkway North, the Parkway East, the Parkway West, U.S. 22/30 and Route 28.
