Slick roads challenge district motorists
Many area motorists found themselves struggling to find traction along local roadways Monday evening as another winter storm blasted southwestern Pennsylvania.
With temperatures in the region dropping throughout the day and light snow falling, many travelers ventured out with roads in fairly good condition. But, during the evening, gusting winds and heavy snow bands caused minor accidents and delays on area roads.
“A lot of the secondary roads are snow-covered and slick, but for the most part the major highways are just wet,” said Brent Blake, highway equipment manager for the state Department of Transportation office in Uniontown.
He said that due to the squall-like nature of the storm, major roads became snow-covered quickly as heavy bands moved throughout the area, but he added that with the road treatments and plow trucks working around the clock, major highways would stay clear.
“We have small bands of intense snow coming through causing slick and snowy conditions,” Blake said. “But, with as bad as the winter has been so far, people are becoming more acclimated to poor conditions.”
He reported relatively few accidents attributable to the conditions. A spokesperson for Fayette 911 agreed.
“We have disabled vehicles due to icy and snowy road conditions in the area but no major accidents,” the spokesperson said.
The spokesperson added that while 911 received reports of accidents, most calls related to the weather concerned motorists who could not find traction along the icy, snow-covered roads.
The state police at Uniontown said accidents and fender benders were up in the area due to the poor road conditions.
According to the National Weather Service, a winter weather advisory was in effect for Fayette County throughout the evening until 4 a.m. Tuesday.
While local road crews were battling the snows, a spokesperson for PennDOT in Greene County said that roads in the area mostly were clear.
According to the National Weather Service, snow totals in Fayette and Greene counties were expected to reach 4 to 6 inches by midnight, with snow tapering to flurries through the morning hours.
Blake said he expected the major highways in the area to be clear for the morning commute, but he cautioned drivers that secondary roads may be icy and snow-covered.