Weather to blame for crashes, power outages

Weather is to blame for several crashes reported in Jefferson and Carroll counties, a phone outage in Belmont County and power outages in Ohio County.

Phone lines to Martins Ferry and Bridgeport were down, but service was restored by 2 p.m.  Officials said a power outage in Wheeling was also weather-related. About 1,750 American Electric Power customers in Ohio County were without power for hours Friday morning while freezing temperatures lingered.

Officials said a transformer blew on McCulloch Street and the outage affected parts of Wheeling, including the Fulton and North Park areas. Power was restored to all customers around 10:30 a.m.



Crews in the Ohio Valley said they started treating icy roads before snow started to accumulate. By noon, snow was falling heavily in some areas of the valley, and road crews said they will be working around the clock to keep roads clear.



"We started between 9 and 10 putting down salt on all of the roads in preparation. With the water on the road … the salt worked very well to be ready when the temperature changed and dropped and we start getting into the freezing and the snow," said Rick Hunsicker, Ohio Department of Transportation District 11 manager.



Officials with the ODOT said they got a head start.


"Once we salt a route, usually we're good for a couple of hours. We can run and hit other roads or go and reload and hit it again. But usually, you're good for a couple of hours but it depends on traffic," Hunsicker said.


Hunsicker said crews pretreated roads but U.S. Route 22 and state Route 7 were covered with snow and ice in some areas. He said ODOT crews will treat roads throughout the day.



"We'll stay as long as we have to today," he said.



Crews are also asking other drivers to be courteous on the roads and stay at least two car lengths behind salt trucks.



"Give some room around the trucks. Drivers are very busy in the cockpit. They not only have a 12-foot plow in front of them, they are busy salting, they are watching their controls as well as the road," Hunsicker said.


In addition to dozens of school delays, the winter weather also prompted Carrollton Schools to dismiss early on Friday and classes were canceled at the Weirton Christian Center. A complete list of closings and delays, as they're reported by school administrators, is on WTOV9's Snowbird Report page.



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