Snowfall creates poor driving conditions, travel discouraged
Road crews were out full force Sunday afternoon as a snowstorm slammed the area causing extremely poor driving conditions.
Texas Department of Transportation said road conditions were improving as of late Sunday evening. All roads are open and passable and most accidents within Amarillo city limits were cleared.
Crews will remain out throughout the night, TxDOT said. Cleanup and final clearing, according to officials, is expected to be completed Monday.
The City of Amarillo Office of Emergency Management advised all residents to AVOID all travel on local roads. Road conditions remained poor throughout Amarillo Sunday afternoon.
Those poor driving conditions, according to authorities, caused several wrecks. Many of those wrecks happened along Interstate 40. Amarillo Police were advising residents to avoid westbound I-40 because of the volume of crashes.
A multiple-truck wreck on I-40 and Bell slowed traffic late Sunday afternoon, officials said. The congestion went back as fast west as Arnot Road.
Another major crash affected traffic around I-40 and Lakeside. That wreck slowed westbound traffic to a point east of the city limits, officials said.
135 calls of traffic accidents were taken by the Amarillo Emergency Communications Center between 11 this morning and 4 this afternoon.
Pronews 7 eyewitness news reporters said traffic was at a standstill along I-40 and Washington where a semi jack-knifed as it headed eastbound.
TxDOT said its crews were out in full force plowing snow and treating bridges, ramps and intersections with de-icers and traction materials.
Officials said roads were icy and snow-packed. This will cause reduced visibility for the remainder of the day along with icy conditions overnight.
Motorists throughout the Panhandle are advised to use caution and slow down.
For the full forecast of when the snow will end, click here.
Have photos? Send them to truiz@kvii.com
