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Snow-Covered Roadways Make Driving Conditions Hazardous

Following about 4 inches of snowfall Tuesday and overnight, some metro Detroit streets were relatively clear Wednesday morning, but others looked like they hadn't been touched.

WWJ's Ron Dewey was among the morning drivers treading cautiously. "Especially so on I-275," Ron told Joe Donovan and Roberta Jasina during his early-morning commute to check out area driving conditions.

On southbound I-275, approaching the I-96 split, traffic was moving along at speeds of between 50 and 55 mph. But when he reached the split, the left lane completely disappeared and speeds dropped down to 40 mph. As Ron put it, he was suddenly "part of a wagon-train."

Ron advised drivers to be on the lookout for changing conditions whether driving on the freeway or on the secondary roads. And, with all of the slush on the freeways, quick lane changes are not an option. Drivers should leave themselves extra time to get where they're going Wednesday, and leave extra space between their vehicle and the one in front of them. Be sure to take your patience along with you when heading out the door.

Several communities issues Snow Emergencies. Click here for a list.

Meanwhile, WWJ's City Beat Reporter Vickie Thomas was traveling the freeways on Detroit's east side.

From I-94 near Van Dyke, Vickie reported that it was down to bare pavement, but it's a mixed bag. On I-94 eastbound, from about Van Dyke to the second Harper exit, she could see the white lines on the freeway, but that was not the case on I-75 southbound in the Detroit-Hamtramck area. Also, the surface streets are still pretty much snow covered. Since the white lines could not be seen, drivers were pretty much making tracks and following in the tracks of the drivers ahead of them.

Click here for the up-to-date weather forecast.

Click here  for school closings.

Be sure to stay with WWJ Newsradio 950 for traffic and weather updates around the clock on 8's and CBS Detroit.com.

Copyright, 2011. WWJ Newsradio 950, All Rights Reserved.

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