Ice Closes Area Highways And Bridges; Multiple Accidents Reported Leaving At Least 2 Dead
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Rain freezing on contact caused accidents all around the region Sunday morning and closures of major highways, including Interstate 95, the Blue Route and I-76 and some area bridges.
The Delaware River Port Authority closed all of its bridges for several hours as a precaution. All of the bridges were reopened to traffic by early afternoon.
Pennsylvania State Police are asking drivers to stay off the roads until conditions improve so salt crews can move freely.
Drivers say it doesn't look like the roads were pretreated and the rain is freezing on contact. PennDOT says 146 salt trucks are out trying to lay a base.
More than 50 cars were involved in a pileup on the Westbound Schuylkill Expressway near Exit 330, Gulph Mills. It happened just before 7 a.m. At least one person has been confirmed dead along with several dozen injuries. The expressway remained closed until around 2 p.m.
I-476, the Blue Route, was closed northbound because of a multivehicle accident between Exit 16B and 18A.
In the Southbound lanes of I-476 at Marple Road in Broomall, a multi-vehicle crash left two people dead and several other injured when three cars slammed into a jackknifed tractor-trailer.
A multi-vehicle crash traffic stopped on I-95 south between Girard and Callowhill closed the highway for several hours. One lane of traffic reopened just before 9 a.m.
SEPTA says service is operating with delays up to 15 minutes due to weather conditions.
Across the river in New Jersey, it is a similar scene and speed restrictions are in place on roads like the New Jersey Turnpike where a speed restriction of 35 MPH is in effect.
New Jersey State Police say the accidents are minor. NJSP tweeted: "Many southwest Jersey roads are a skating rink. Many minor crashes, but none fatal on State Police roads. Don't be the first."
In Delaware, State Police tweeted describe a similar story: "Roadways in New Castle County are becoming slick with ice. Please use caution if you must."
Drivers every where are urged to use caution and avoid travel.
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