Wintry Mix Snarls Roads
Police Remind Drivers To Use Caution
POSTED: 5:41 pm EST February 14, 2007
UPDATED: 8:25 pm EST February 14, 2007
BOSTON -- A Valentine's Day Nor'easter created slick, icy conditions on roads across Massachusetts on Wednesday.In Worcester, Mass., there was about 3 inches on the ground by noon. While schools were canceled and parking bans were in effect, many residents said that they expected that there would be more snow."They haven't much of a winter this year, so I know (the kids) will be happy today," parent Kevin Novia said.
Public Works crews clear about 500 miles of road in Worcester during winter storms."I think people are impatient. They try to get in between the plows and it makes it a little more difficult for you," said plow driver Jim Rich."We are keeping up well. It is just a matter of us being able to treat the roads properly once the storm concludes," said Worcester Department of Public Works Commissioner Robert Moylan.Some Worcester residents used leaf blowers to clear away the snow."We try everything -- we got snow blowers, shovels, whatever. We got the 15-year-old kid out there -- he lasted one minute," said Ed Fletcher."It is nice to get outside and shovel some snow for a change," said Stephen Fogelson. "I like it -- as long as I don't have to drive or fly.""Our focus right now is to get the evening commuters home as seamlessly as possible, and then we will deal with the cleanup and other treatment aspects that we need," Moylan said.State highway crews were sanding the Massachusetts Turnpike. State police reduced the speed limit on the Massachusetts Turnpike to 40 mph. State police advised motorists to keep speeds low, give other cars plenty of space and make sure to wear seat belts.Several cars skidded off the road along Interstate 495."It was weird. (Another motorist) started in the right lane and just started doing a complete 360. Fortunately, I did not hit her dead-center. She was totally across in front of my car," said one driver.Police said speed is to blame for most of the incidents."It is mostly rollover accidents, a couple of jack-knifed trucks and mostly people are driving way too fast for the conditions," said Massachusetts State Police Sgt. Jim Deyermond.In Lexington, Mass., visibility was limited and the region was seeing freezing rain. Along Route 2 in Lincoln, Mass., motorist Ken Aquino and his dog were forced to escape from the window of his wife's sport utility vehicle after it rolled over."I went into this little gully here, and flipped over," Aquino said."Take it easy and give yourself the time you need to get where you need to go," state police trooper Robert Bousquet said.In Boston, there was also little snow, but ice hidden beneath it on the roads was expected to create a hazardous morning commute.Plows were out laying sand and preparing the roads throughout the city, but the Massachusetts State Police reported three rollover accidents by 6 a.m., including a tractor-trailer accident on Neponset Street. There were multiple rollovers reported on Route 128 southbound."Traffic is very slow and people have to be patient ... if you have an alternative, please take public transportation," Boston Mayor Thomas Menino said.He said the city has 250 pieces of road and sanding equipment out to try to keep the roads from becoming too icy.The weather may have contributed to an accident involving a Fung Wah bus. A bus headed west on the Massachusetts Turnpike skidded off the highway, just before the Allston/Brighton tolls at about 11 a.m. There were no injuries reported among the 50 or so passengers who were aboard.The driver, Jimmy Chow, 50, faces several charges, including driving too fast for road conditions. The Massachusetts Turnpike was closed to westbound traffic while the bus was removed from the scene.The icy weather also caused problems on the tracks. On the Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority's Green Line on Commonwealth Avenue, ice brought wires down onto the tracks. The MBTA bused commuters between the Kenmore stop and Washington Street while repairs were made.The storm caused dozens of delays and cancellations at Logan International Airport. It also caused a domino effect across the country.Half of the flights were scrubbed or delayed at Chicago's busy O'Hare Airport, and Bradley International Airport in Connecticut was closed Wednesday afternoon.Airline officials urged travelers to call ahead before leaving for the airport.Meanwhile, florists were trying to get their Valentine's Day deliveries made."A lot of them won't get made until tomorrow or the next day. People are very understanding. They are very nice about it. With the storm, there is not much we can do," florist Ray Levine said.
This was supposed to be the storm of the season!......forecasters had everyone running to the grocery stores clearing the shelves of bread and water and draining the tanks at all the gas stations. Even I filled out all my spare gas cans just in case we'd have to ride the snowblower to work! It fizzled again though.....the forecasters were way off on their storm track and and the eventual snowfall. Mind you....it's been a pretty benign winter up here in New England. Virtually nothing for snow on the ground prior to yesterday although we've been in the grips of a pretty good arctic cold snap for a number of weeks now. So one BIG snowstorm...especially this late in the season shouldn't be a big deal. I kept telling myself...
Get Me Outta Here! I just don't want to deal with this anymore.Yeah, there was only 2 or 3 inches of snow, but the rivers of rain that fell all day, followed by the freezing rain, more snow, more freezing rain...UGH! What a mess and what a royal PITA to try to clear all that crap off the driveway. (I wonder what the temperature is in MB right now?) :o( It's all of 11 degrees at 6AM right here......I wonder how much fun it'll be sliding down the driveway this morning!
If I never see another flake of snow, it'll be 3 days too soon! (I wonder if I can get a tee time at Farmstead this morning?) I'm ready!....South Carolina here I come!
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This was supposed to be the storm of the season!......forecasters had everyone running to the grocery stores clearing the shelves of bread and water and draining the tanks at all the gas stations. Even I filled out all my spare gas cans just in case we'd have to ride the snowblower to work! It fizzled again though.....the forecasters were way off on their storm track and and the eventual snowfall. Mind you....it's been a pretty benign winter up here in New England. Virtually nothing for snow on the ground prior to yesterday although we've been in the grips of a pretty good arctic cold snap for a number of weeks now. So one BIG snowstorm...especially this late in the season shouldn't be a big deal. I kept telling myself...
Get Me Outta Here! I just don't want to deal with this anymore.Yeah, there was only 2 or 3 inches of snow, but the rivers of rain that fell all day, followed by the freezing rain, more snow, more freezing rain...UGH! What a mess and what a royal PITA to try to clear all that crap off the driveway. (I wonder what the temperature is in MB right now?) :o( It's all of 11 degrees at 6AM right here......I wonder how much fun it'll be sliding down the driveway this morning!
If I never see another flake of snow, it'll be 3 days too soon! (I wonder if I can get a tee time at Farmstead this morning?) I'm ready!....South Carolina here I come!
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