Black Friday conditions lead to highway closures in the Detroit area

The snow turns Black Friday into white, the weather and the police warn of temporary highway closures and at times poor or no visibility.

I-96 eastbound is currently closed at M-39 in far west Detroit due to a crash, MDOT spokeswoman Diane Cross said.

The accident caused heavy traffic on EB I-96, as seen in the video below. The cause of the accident and the number of vehicles involved are currently unclear.

Earlier in the day, around 11 a.m., several semi-trucks were involved in a minor accident on I-96 near Milford in Oakland County, according to MDOT. The incident closed the area until about 2 p.m

Michigan State Police Lt. Mike Shaw said most of Friday’s crashes were preventable and resulted from “speeding too fast for the conditions,” following too closely and other risky behavior – not icy roads.

Salt trucks have been operating since early morning in Wayne County, Macomb County and especially Oakland County, Cross told the Free Press.

“They got back out as a snow storm was moving from west to east across Oakland County,” she said just before 7 p.m. “They were out and about multiple times throughout the day in all three counties.”

In Washtenaw County, several people on the Ann Arbor subreddit warned drivers about icy and unplowed roads. After 4 p.m., a poster said there was black ice on M-14 between Ann Arbor Road and I-275. Another reported that the Ann Arbor/Plymouth Road from Livonia to Ann Arbor east of Ford Road had unplowed and unsalted snow.

So far, Black Friday has been marked by discounts on Christmas shopping, but also by a fatal accident and a highway closure so that road guards could sprinkle salt on the road.

The National Weather Service warned of “periods of white-out or near-white-out” early Thursday, long dubbed Black Friday by retailers because it marks one of their busiest days of the year and the start of the winter holiday shopping season. . conditions.”

Meanwhile, Michigan State Police warned that there is “just enough snow to highlight drivers engaging in risky driving behavior,” adding, “Hopefully we can act like we’ve been there before.”

Less than an inch of snow is expected in the Detroit area, but that’s just enough to make the road surface particularly slippery.

However, it was already too late for two people.

At about 4:30 a.m., state police said they received reports of a northbound Jeep traveling north on the lodge, and later an accident occurred at the lodge near the Grand River. The Jeep and an SUV collided, which caught fire.

First responders removed a 27-year-old woman, the driver, from the Jeep and took her to a local hospital where she is in critical condition. The other driver was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police continue to investigate the crash and its cause.

Then, before 9 a.m., motorists reported a pileup on westbound Interstate 96 that left several cars and a tractor-trailer stuck — or two or three, according to social media reports. A photo that appeared to show the area showed a layer of snow on the road.

More:Michigan Snowfall Forecasts: See how much snow could fall in your area during a winter storm

And within an hour, state police said westbound I-696 would be closed at Orchard Lake to allow the Michigan Department of Transportation “an opportunity to put salt on the highway.”

“As we head into the night, overnight and early morning hours, the temperatures will really drop and we’ll get icy roads again – so we may have more disabled vehicles overnight and into tomorrow morning,” Cross said. “In colder temperatures you could experience tire or battery problems.”

Salt trucks in all three counties “are in full operation Friday evening,” Cross added.

Shoppers and travelers are urged by police to maintain a safe distance and pack winter emergency equipment in case they lose control of the vehicle. They are also reminded to buckle up, put away their phones, exercise and generally just be friendly.

Black Friday conditions lead to highway closures in the Detroit area

ByAmelia Journalton

By Amelia Journalton

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