First significant snowfall of season causes dozens of accidents
Winter weather smacked the region with a fury Thursday evening with steady snow squalls showering the area with several inches of snow and more accumulations predicted through today. According to emergency officials, icy roads resulted in dozens of traffic accidents around the county, including a tractor-trailer blocking traffic on Summit Mountain and a car crashed into a wooded area on Route 119.
Minor car accidents snarled snow-covered roadways around the region, as blast after blast of snow rolled through swamping motorists and slowing traffic.
According to Fayette County 911, emergency crews scrambled all over Fayette County Thursday evening, with several accidents reported in Redstone Township and along Route 119.
County officials said calls from the mountain area of Fayette County were unexpectedly light and noted that no major injuries were reported.
Prior to the snowfall, state and municipal road crews were ready to deploy Thursday to keep area roads clear.
“We’re prepared and loading trucks right now in case they’re needed,” Valerie Petersen, community relations officer with the state Department of Transportation District 12 in Uniontown, said Thursday afternoon.
Petersen said crews started their preparations for the snow several months ago. She said crews made dry runs, trying to pinpoint what areas would be the worst during the winter months.
“Our crews are prepared and available, and additional crews can be called in for help if we need it,” Petersen said.
She said there is plenty of anti-skid material and rock salt available and noted that crews will keep a vigilant eye for areas that need the most attention to make driving less hazardous.
But for those who don’t have to brave winter driving, Petersen said PennDOT always encourages them to stay in.
“If you don’t need to go out, don’t. It’s better for drivers to be safe than to get out on the roads way too early,” she said.
Municipal crews also were gearing up for winter weather.
In a press release, North Union Township Supervisors Tom Kumor, Rob Tupta and Curt Matthews said township crews are “prepared for the worst Old Man Winter has to offer.”
North Union Township has 76-plus miles of roads to maintain during winter months – but supervisors said the township is well prepared.
The township has six full-time snowplow drivers to clear the roads and a full-time mechanic to take care of any problems that might arise with the trucks. Crews also are always on call to handle snowfall, the supervisors said.
The township supervisors have almost 1,000 tons of salt, and use a 50-50 mixture of salt and anti-skid material to treat the roads.
“Now that temperatures are hovering below 30 degrees, the road surface will be freezing faster and we ask all motorists to use caution driving. Our employees will do their best to keep the roads clear for the motoring public,” the supervisors said.
Primary roadways will be targeted first, and then secondary roads will be treated. Supervisors said that under normal conditions, the roads should be in good condition for school buses to arrive on time.
They also urged township residents who park on the street to leave enough room for plows to get through.
“Hopefully, this winter will be as smooth to handle as the previous years, and we’re asking residents to be patients with us while we’re clearing the roadways,” the supervisors said.
Connellsville Street Department foreman Vernon Ohler said that two city trucks are loaded and ready to go if the forecast of snow does indeed hit the area.
“I’ve heard anywhere from one to three inches to just a dusting,” he said. “I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens.”
If called into action, the city employees will clear about 40 miles of roads, which takes about four hours to do if they only require the distribution of salt.
“All we can do is keep an eye on it,” he said.
Snow-removal work, said Ohler, does add a few more hours to their schedule.
Forecasts indicate that the temperatures were to drop throughout Thursday, reaching a low of 17 degrees, said HSTV News 19 meteorologist Stephanie Schuler. She said most areas of Fayette County will get 2 inches of snow, and mountain communities may get 5 inches.
The National Weather Service in Pittsburgh predicted between 4 and 8 inches of snow for the region by early Friday.
Schuler said county residents could expect snow flurries today in the morning and a high near 26 degrees.
By Saturday, however, Schuler said the temperature will be a bit warmer, in the upper 30s, and on Sunday, she predicted a high near 50 degrees.
Staff writers Josh Krysak and Patty Yauger contributed to this report.