Snow causes havoc on roads — and more is on the way

By CHRISTINE HAINES
and JEFF STITT

chaines@yourmvi.com
jstitt@yourmvi.com

Don’t blame road crews for difficult travel conditions during Tuesday’s morning commute. According to the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh, the slick conditions really couldn’t be avoided.

“They just couldn’t keep up with it during the morning rush hour,” said NWS meteorologist Pat Herald. 

Nearly all police departments throughout the Mon Valley reported less-than-favorable conditions early Tuesday, with vehicles stranded when they were unable to negotiate the slick roads. 

A tractor-trailer overturned on Interstate 70, closing the westbound lanes for several hours according to the Pennsylvania State Police at Belle Vernon. 

The accident occurred around 8:47 a.m. between the Monongahela/Centerville and Bentleyville exits.

Fallowfield fire Chief Anthony Fleming said state police and firefighters from Fallowfield Township and Bentleyville Fire-Rescue responded to the accident scene near mile marker 34.7.

The chief said he isn’t sure what caused the crash, but confirmed that a tractor trailer went off the road and up a small hill, which caused it to roll over.

Photos taken by Bentleyville Fire-Rescue show there was a layer of snow on the interstate near the crash site.

Fleming said Ambulance & Chair EMS was on scene, but only one minor injury was reported. He doesn’t think any patients had to be transported to a hospital.

PennDOT’s 511PA website showed lane restrictions were still in place as of 1:52 p.m. Tuesday — five hours after the crash.

PennDOT District 12, which maintains state roads and bridges in Fayette, Greene, Washington and Westmoreland counties, reduced speeds on I-70 and I-79 to 45 mph for several hours Tuesday as a result of the winter weather.

Forward Township police reported an accident at the intersection of Routes 136 and 906 two hours before the I-70 crash. Police said one vehicle slid into another at a stop sign. There was minor damage to the second vehicle, but the first vehicle had to be towed from the scene due to front-end damage, police said. No injuries were reported.

A second accident was reported Tuesday afternoon in the 1000 block of Hayden Boulevard (Route 51) on the Forward-Elizabeth Township line. Three vehicles were involved in the wreck, but Forward Township police said there were no injuries and damage was minor. One driver reported hitting black ice prior to the crash, police said.

To read the rest of the story, please see a copy of Wednesday’s Mon Valley Independent, call 724-314-0035 to subscribe or subscribe to our online edition at http://monvalleyindependent.com.