At the peak of holiday travel, Metro Detroit experienced continuous snow showers while driving in treacherous conditions.
Michigan State Police said it received approximately 207 reported traffic crashes in Wayne, Macomb, and Oakland counties over the long weekend.
Drivers also shared stories of spinouts and streets turning into sheets of ice.
“At first, it was pretty bad,” said Cody Viazanko. “I drove like the first day it snowed. It was not good.”
Winter conditions snarled traffic during what’s considered one of the busiest holiday travels.
“Well, driving from Milford to Novi, I heard it was a nightmare,” Jennifer Hollister said. “I heard only one lane was open going both east and westbound on Grand River. ”
Marisa Tavolacci described how the driver in front of her abruptly stopped.
“It was scary,” said Tavolacci. “I thought I was going to go into the ditch.”
The winter wonderland scenes led to questions about what goes into snow removal.
In Oakland County, it said crews use liquid brine if there’s an advance notice of snow in the forecast and no rain.
Meanwhile, Macomb County told Local 4 that it relies on crews to monitor conditions.
In a statement, Bryan Santo, director of the Macomb County Department of Roads, said:
“Depending on the severity and duration of a winter storm, the Department of Roads will stagger and dispatch drivers appropriately to ensure the roadways are treated throughout the duration of a storm so we can have trucks on the road as long as needed. Our crews and equipment are ready 24/7 to ensure we maintain a safe and drivable road system for all Macomb County motorists and visitors.”
In Wayne County, it will be pre-salt bridge decks and elevated surfaces, as well as roads with lower traffic volumes and slower speeds, when conditions allow, said Penelope Filyo, a
communications specialist with Wayne County Dept. of Public Services.
“Additionally, we use brine units to prewet the salt, which helps it stick to the road better, preventing it from being blown away by traffic or wind,” Filyo said. “This also makes the salt more effective at melting ice, allowing for quicker and more efficient de-icing.”
Yet, there are times when salt isn’t enough, according to the 4Warn Weather team.
“When you have temperatures below 20 degrees Fahrenheit, sometimes municipalities or road crews will mix brine, and when you have that wet de-icer, that can be more effective than just rock salt,” said Ashlee Baracy, a meteorologist.
In Macomb County, the Dept. of Roads adds a product to its brine solution to lower the freezing point.
“So, when we treat the salt with this combination, it is more effective in colder temperatures, as low as 15 to 20 degrees below freezing,” Santo said.
Next, which roads get top priority?
The Road Commission of Oakland County said roads with 40,000-plus cars per day or 10,000 cars per lane are labeled Priority 1 in a five-tier system, with subdivisions being last, said Craig Bryson, a senior communications manager.
According to Bryson, Priority 2 is another primary paved road. The next priority is paved roads providing access to hospitals, schools, or other significant traffic generators, not categorized as critical priorities or Priority 1 or 2. Priorities 4 and 5 are other paved roads and gravel roads, including subdivision roads.
In Macomb County, all state and county primary roads must be cleared before snow removal on local roads.
Meanwhile, the Wayne County Department of Public Services said it prioritizes road treatment in the following order: freeways, state trunklines, county primary roads, and local roads.
Even with these operations, drivers share what else remains a priority: slowing down while increasing one’s following distance.