Slick roads force drivers to take it slow

GREEN BAY, Wis. (WBAY) - Anyone who needs to drive Monday afternoon is advised to take it slow.

There were 71 slide-offs and 35 crashes reported throughout Brown County between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m. Those numbers are likely going up.

Brown County Highway Commissioner Paul Fontecchio says crews were out Sunday night pre-treating the roads to try to combat the ice. He says it’s difficult for his drivers and crews to keep up with the conditions changing so quickly.

“The northern half of Brown County got more snow than freezing rain or slush. The southern half of the county got more freezing slush than snow. So, it is very different in terms of the composition. The thing we have going for us today is the temperatures are higher,” Fontecchio said.

He warns drivers to go slowly, especially in situations where you’re braking or turning, like in roundabouts or at off-ramps, which he says are especially treacherous in this weather. Give yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.

“If people do slide off the roads in conditions like today, we do ask people to stay in their vehicles, call 911 right away, and emergency responders will be out as soon as they can,” Matt Ternes, maintenance supervisor for the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, advised.

Brown County crews are expected to continue treating roads overnight into the morning hours.

“Every truck driver is going to have a different situation on their own route. So if there’s more snow, they’ll be doing more plowing; if it’s more ice, they’ll be using more salt. It’s a real mixture out there how they’ll attack it,” Fontecchio said.

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