Snow, Ice To Blame For Parkway West Accidents
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Highways around the area were icy this morning and drivers had trouble navigating the slick spots.
There were a number of accidents and PennDOT said there was little it could do to keep up.
A portion of the Parkway West was actually shut down for a little while overnight because of accidents. There was a chunk of time this morning where it seemed like it was one accident after another as drivers were sliding sideways, into guardrails and into other vehicles.
Around 2 a.m., reports of accidents starting coming in.
"We had a lot of squalls come through the area, which was basically very interesting because it caused a flash freezing of the roadway surface," Steve Marsinko of PennDOT said.
Marsinko said they tried to get ahead of the freeze, but couldn't keep up with the falling temperatures.
"Our crews were out treating and we were monitoring the situation, but in that type of situation, with a flash freeze, that road surface turns very slippery very fast," Marsinko said.
On the Birmingham Bridge, traffic made its way around emergency vehicles after a pickup truck lost control. Ramps, bridges, and overpasses were quickest to freeze and caused a lot of problems throughout the morning.
Now that the cold weather is here to stay, drivers are being urged to slow down and use caution during the morning commute.
RELATED LINKS
More Local News
More Parkway West News
More Reports From Heather Abraham
