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Light snow, below-freezing temperatures make for traffic mess

A light snowfall overnight and sub-freezing temperatures caused traffic problems Saturday morning.

State police report at least 30 crashes throughout the region as ramps, overpasses and bridges iced up. There were no major injuries, state police said.

Interstate 79 closed between Carnegie and Bridgeville at 7:45 a.m. because of the weather but opened at 9 o’clock, state police said.

“I think a lot of people weren’t perpared for snow overnight. Bridges overpasses and ramps, anything that is elevated, freeze before the roads do. People are driving along, and they don’t expect it,” said PennDOT spokesman Jim Struzzi.

Typical problem areas are the Parkway North, Interstate 79 and the Parkway West at Carnegie, he said.

“Our people are prepared, and we have crews out, and they will stay out as long as they need to,” he said.

Traffic conditions have improved as the temperature warmed up slightly, officials said.

This article was written by Channel 11’s news exchange partners at TribLIVE.