Slick Road Conditions A Concern Into Tuesday; Officials Urging Residents To Stay Off Roads
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Slick roads and slippery sidewalks remain a concern after two days of snow across Maryland.
State officials asked residents to stay home so that crews could clear and treat roads during the multi-day weather event.
Watch Out For Black Ice Tuesday Morning, More Than 500 Crashes Reported Over Span Of The Snow Storm
Tina Regester from Maryland's State Highway Administration said Monday state crews responded to more than 400 crashes, including some Monday morning. Secondary roads are especially slippery.
Regester said if you have to drive, make sure the snow and ice are completely cleared from your car's windows and roof.
Maryland Officials Warn Travel Will Be Difficult Through Snow Storm Early This Week
Crews did not waste any time getting ready for the storm.
"We were out on all our roads statewide, some areas like western Maryland we're plowing right now, in this area we're continuing to apply materials to keep the road from getting slippery," said Shantee Felix with MDOT SHA.
Different parts of the state are seeing different challenges due to the storm, ranging from the risk for black ice to heavy snow.
Statewide, crews remained in emergency mode Monday night, with roughly 2,700 pieces of equipment and 1,200 workers out on the roads.
In Baltimore, the salt dome on North Avenue was a popular place to be as contractors and crews on their fourth 12-hour shifts cleared roads of snow and ice.
"(The roads) need attention. A lot of attention," one contractor said.
On Pennsylvania Avenue, some pedestrians walked in the street to avoid slipping on sidewalks.
"The ice is real heavy out here. It's real nasty, so I'm taking a chance to walk in the streets instead of the sidewalk," Gary Lane said.
It was a snow day that's been years in the making, some people chose to take a spin on a sled or a snowboard. Others got to work before the snow piled up.
"...trying to get the sidewalks cleaned up, through some mag on them, and then also throw some salt on the parking lots," said Nick and Evan Kaliakoudas, Baltimore County residents.
As of 10 p.m. Monday, officials from the Maryland State Police said since Sunday morning there had been 501 crashes, 233 disabled or unattended vehicles and 1,633 calls for service. At least one person died.
Hundreds Of Crashes Reported Across Maryland Throughout Snow Storm
City officials encouraged residents to plan ahead with predicted mixed precipitation expected to cause hazardous driving conditions. Anyone who has to travel should allow for more time to commute, drive at reduced speeds and increase stopping distance.
Gov. Larry Hogan advised Marylanders to take the following steps in preparation for severe weather:
- Pay close attention to emergency information and alerts from official sources. Marylanders can subscribe to alerts from the Maryland Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) by texting "MdReady" to 898211.
- Keep devices charged in case of possible power outages.
- Exercise extreme caution if you must travel. Marylanders can call 511 or visit md511.org for travel updates.
More resources on winter storm preparedness can be found here.
Stay up-to-date with the latest forecast by downloading the WJZ weather app.
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