Some major thoroughfares, ramps and secondary roads were converted into treacherous driving and walking adventures today as a freezing rain spread a thin, icy glaze in the Baltimore metropolitan area, causing countless accidents and late school openings.
Last night, when the storm first started, two motorists were killed in weather-related crashes.
"It's treacherous," said Sgt. R. Waters at the Bel Air barracks of the State Police. "Road crews were out all night spreading salt. It melted for a few minutes, then froze right up again."
State Police closed a portion of Interstate 795, the Northwest Expressway, at 5 a.m. after a tractor-trailer carrying wood chips overturned just south of Md. 140 at Reisterstown. Northbound traffic was rerouted to Franklin Boulevard and Md. 140.
Accidents involving cars and other tractor-trailers temporarily closed the northbound Jones Falls Expressway south of Cold Spring Lane; the 28th Street bridge; a ramp at Northern Parkway and Perring Parkway in the city; and Md. 648 at the Beltway in Anne Arundel County after two vehicles slid out of control and crashed.
The 41st Street bridge over the JFX was said to be a "solid sheet of ice" and also was closed.
Public schools in Anne Arundel, Howard and Cecil counties opened two hours late because of the icy conditions and schools in Baltimore, Carroll, Frederick, Harford and Montgomery counties were closed for the day. Students in Kent County were told to report 90 minutes late.
The National Weather Service said temperatures were expected to warm up by midafternoon, when the mercury was to creep into the mid- to upper 30s. Temperatures are to drop into the 20s tonight, with sunny skies and temperatures in the 40s anticipated tomorrow.
When the freezing rain and sleet started falling last evening, parts of area interstates and secondary roads were closed after numerous crashes, both major and minor.
One of the two fatal accidents was in Baltimore County; the other was in Prince George's County.
The most recent weather-related traffic death was that of Gerald Milton Patterson, 46, of the 6000 block of Gwynn Oak Ave. in Woodlawn. Baltimore County police said he was driving his Mazda east in the 6100 block of Johnnycake Road around 7:30 p.m. when the vehicle skidded on a patch of ice.
Police said the car crossed over and into the westbound lane and struck a car.
