ST. LOUIS (KTVI) – Bitter cold temperatures, wind and freezing drizzle has combined to make roads, bridges and interstate icy and dangerous.
Both MoDOT and IDOT, along with the Missouri State Highway Patrol and Illinois State Police to ask motorist refrain from traveling on area roads Saturday. Conditions are deteriorating and authorities are closing some area roads, and on an off ramps to interstates.
But that hasn’t stopped some folks from going to see the SLU’s Billikens basketball and the St. Louis Blues.
Saturday’s game against the Blackhawks was the final matchup before the Winter Classic in January. While it hoping inside Scottrade, out here on the streets it is quiet. A much different look than last night when you consider Missouri and Illinois highway patrol reported 700 car crashes overnight.
You could tell many people stayed home tonight as transportation officials urged, but thousands of people still showed up for both the Billikens game at 4pm and the Blues game. The streets and sidewalks seemed equally as slick tonight. Several blues fans pointed out that they also noticed more salt trucks which they believe made a difference.
However, once the game is over, those fans will have to make their way home on icy roads and bridges.
The Missouri State Highway Patrol says since Friday afternoon they have logged 1,117 calls for assistance, over 400 crashes, with 21 people injured. One fatality has also been recorded.
In the Land of Lincoln, the Illinois State Police worked over 300 accidents Friday. 90-percent of the accidents occurred in St. Clair, Madison and Monroe counties.
ISP called in 20 extra officers for Friday and is expecting to do the same for Saturday.
Around 3:45 pm Saturday, the driver of an SUV was killed in a head-on Collison with a pick-up at I-255 and I-270. State police say the driver of the SUV was traveling on I-255 northbound to I-270 eastbound when they lost control and skidded on the icy road, crossing the center median. She was pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was transported to the hospital with non-life threatening injuries. That stretch of road has been closed for accident reconstruction.
At the Poplar Street Bridge, the Tudor exit has been closed to traffic.
In the Missouri counties of Jefferson and St. Charles, city, county and state roads reported to be icy.
Travel in Lincoln County in Missouri has been especially hard and dangerous. The sheriff’s department is reporting hundreds of vehicle abandoned on roadways in the county. The department has started the process of towing vehicles to clear the roads. Motorist are urged to retrieve their vehicle as soon as possible.
If your vehicle has been towed you may contact Lincoln County 911 Central Dispatch at 636-528-6100 to learn the location of your vehicle. However, if your vehicle is not posing a danger to the road, the vehicle will be tagged for removal in 24-hours
If you must travel, drive slowly and give yourself plenty space between vehicles, make sure you have a full tank of gas, mobile phone, warm clothes, blankets, food, water, a first aid kit, washer fluid, and an ice scraper in your vehicle.
Once again, authorities are urging motorist to stay off area roads and stay at home. Road conditions are dangerous in many areas. Both MoDOT and IDOT crews are out salting area roads.
According to the preliminary investigation the female driver of the Isuzu (unit 1) was traveling on Interstate 255 southbound at Interstate 270 eastbound. The driver of the Ram Truck (unit2) was traveling on Interstate 255 northbound at Interstate 270 eastbound. The female driver of the Isuzu lost control of the wheel, and crossed the center median into northbound traffic striking the Ram Truck (unit 2) head on. The female driver of the Isuzu was pronounced deceased at the scene. The driver of the Ram Truck was transported to a local hospital with non-life threatening injuries. This crash remains under investigation by the Illinois State Police.