Little bit of snow is too much for hundreds of Twin Cities motorists

Article by: Star Tribune
Updated: January 21, 2012 - 12:18 AM

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The number of car crashes keeps going up as Twin Cities drivers Friday learned how to navigate in the snow again.

The State Patrol tallied 549 crashes in the metro area between 5 a.m. and 4 p.m. Out of those, 69 involved injuries, said Patrol Lt. Eric Roeske.

"Ridiculous is an understatement," said Ken Gilman, a transportation specialist for the Minnesota Department of Transportation, who keeps a close watch on metro traffic.

"People have forgotten how to drive," he said early in the day. "They have to slow down and anticipate when to brake."

Gilman called Friday morning's commute "the most active we've had all season," even though the National Weather Service said the accumulation was little more than minimal.

Even during the less-traveled late morning, MnDOT had about 20 crashes on its metro tote board, most of them blocking single lanes or highway shoulders. Five of the incidents were sprinkled along the southern stretch of Interstate 494. Another four were reported on I-694 through several north metro suburbs.

STAFF REPORTS

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