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(KSL News/AP Reporting)
It's not what most of us wanted to wake up to--snow on the freeway and bumper to bumper traffic to match. Getting from one city to another this morning was quite a task.
About 25 minor accidents from midnight to 3:00 AM, and it only got worse. By 9:00 AM this morning, there were 82 accidents in the Salt Lake valley according to the highway patrol. Most were minor. Fortunately there were no accidents in Utah County and only one or two in Davis County.
Snow covered I-15 this morning. It's cleared a bit now, but with temperatures in the upper teens and low 20's, there's potential for plenty of black ice.
UHP spokesman Jeff Nigbur says there were also nine injury accidents and dozens of slide-offs. Nigbur says people driving too fast and following too closely were the main causes.
Meanwhile, U-DOT has dozens of snow plows clearing the roads.
Chopper Five showed that traffic was at a virtual standstill on southbound I-15 through Farmington this morning. Same story in the south end of the Salt Lake Valley. Traffic was backed up from Murray past Point of the Mountain, nearly to the Highland-Alpine exit.
KSL Newsradio reports lots of snow and several slide-offs on the west side of the Salt Lake Valley. In many areas, freeway traffic was moving at about 30 miles per hour, at best.
This was what it looked like earlier this morning in Salt Lake. Fog, blowing snow, a slow, treacherous commute on the freeway.
Commuter Sharon McConnell: "You can't really see the lane lines. It's scary to change lanes and stuff."
Commuter Kary Wawrzyniak, "I figured it was going to be a rough day. I called in early and said, ‘look, I'm going to be late.'"
Looks like a lot were in that position.
But this is making for a slow drive to work, and drivers need to take their time. There are several things to remember.
Winter Road Safety
- slow down
- never pass a slowplow
- stay 200 ft behind snowplow
- increase distance behind other cars
- remove all ice and snow from windows
- minimize lane changes
- check CommuterLink.utah.gov to see road conditions via real-time traffic cameras
- call 511 to hear about road conditions on your route
Snow will increase late tonight and continue through mid morning on Thursday. Snow accumulations of two to three inches are expected by 10:00 AM Thursday. A snow advisory remains in effect from 2:00 AM to 10:00 AM PST on Thursday.
A snow advisory means that periods of snow will primarily cause travel difficulties. Be prepared for snow covered roads and limited visibility.
Use caution while driving and continue to monitor the latest forecasts.
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
