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SALT LAKE CITY — A continuing winter storm has contributed to dozens of accidents and slide offs as the Thursday morning commute is underway.
Numerous slide-offs and slushy to snow-packed roads were reported around the valley. From midnight to 6 a.m., the Utah Highway Patrol recorded 33 accidents in Salt Lake and Utah counties, with the large majority of those accidents in Salt Lake County.
The accidents include seven on I-15, two at Point of the Mountain, one in Taylorsville, three in Salt Lake City and one in Murray. A couple of accidents were reported on I-215, and two on I-80 at the mouth of Parleys Canyon.
An accident involving a semi and other vehicles temporarily shut down all westbound traffic in Parleys Canyon at mile marker 131. The semi was sideways across all lanes of traffic, but UHP moved the wreck. All lanes are now open.
A semi jackknifed on southbound I-15 at 13200 South around 6:20 a.m. It originally blocked all but the HOV lane, but now traffic is getting by in several lanes. UHP said a gas tank on the semi is leaking, so crews are en route to clean it up. No injuries are reported in that wreck.
Another semi jackknifed on northbound I-15 at 2400 North about 30 minutes later. Salt Lake City dispatch said minor injuries are reported with that wreck, which is blocking all but one lane.
UHP reported at least five more accidents in Utah County, three of those with minor injuries.
- EB I-80 Parleys Canyon - Chains for semis
- US 189 and SR-92 in Provo Canyon - chains or four-wheel drive
- Big and Little Cottonwood canyons - chains or four-wheel drive
At I-215 west and I-15 near North Salt Lake, a car hit a semi earlier Thursday morning.
And multiple vehicles slid off I-15 in Davis County, particularly near Antelope Drive.
UHP's Sgt. Danny Allen said, "All the accidents we've had are just speeds too fast for these conditions. People need to slow down, be a little more patient. Saving that little extra time is not worth it. People lose control on the slick roads."
UHP recommended commuters leave 15 to 30 minutes early Thursday morning and plan to travel at 35 mph. All of UDOT's snow plows are working, and motorists should give them plenty of room.
Get traffic updates every 10 minutes on the nines on KSL Newsradio, check commute times on the home page at ksl.com, and get the weather forecast here.
Contributing: Pat Reavy
