Road conditions across the region have improved through the morning, helped mostly by snow plow crews across the region.
>>PHOTOS: Road conditions in parts of the northern Miami Valley
According to Ohio Department of Transportation cameras and weather sensors, most of the area highway are clear of snow cover and are now either just wet or mostly dry.
Our crews across the region have reported similar conditions, mostly clear main roads and some partially covered secondary roads.
>>Snow emergencies issued by some Miami Valley counties
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Previously, ODOT Press Secretary Matt Bruning said their department’s crews had started add other substances to the road salt to make it more effective in colder temperatures.
“Salt starts to lose its effectiveness around 20 degrees, so we have to start adding things like calcium chloride or we use a product called Beat Heat, which is actually made from sugar beets that helps to make salt more effective at lower temperatures,” Bruning said.
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In Dayton, plows have started moving snow to the center of the road.
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While road conditions are improving, Dayton police are still not responding to non-injury crashes through Wednesday morning. Non-injury crashes will be handled by the department’s Telephone Reporting Unit at 937-333-2677.
Officers will respond to crashes involving injuries, fatalities, hit and run, OVI, and other circumstances, a Dayton police spokesperson said in a social media message Tuesday.
In Celina, backroads are still “pretty snowy” but main roads have been cleaned off pretty well so far, Diane Gehle, of Celina, told News Center 7′s John Bedell.
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FIRST REPORT
While the heavy snow has ended an moved out of the area, snow-covered roads along with blowing and drifting snow, will make for a challenging morning commute through the entire region.
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Over 1,200 Ohio Department of Transportation crews are out Tuesday morning across the state plowing and treating state, U.S. routes, and interstates including hundreds in the Miami Valley, Matt Bruning, ODOT Press Secretary told News Center 7 Tuesday morning.
>>Snow emergencies issued by some Miami Valley counties
However ODOT crews are encountering a couple of challenges this morning, including blowing snow and frigid temperatures.
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“Its not just getting the snow off the road, its keeping it off the road because we’re seeing those gusty that continue to create those blowing and drifting problems for us” Bruning said.
But with temperatures in the low teens this morning, salt has already lost its effectiveness and ODOT crews are moving to alternatives to help clear the roads.
“Salt starts to lose its effectiveness around 20 degrees, so we have to start adding things like calcium chloride or we use a product called Beat Heat, which is actually made from sugar beets that helps to make salt more effective at lower temperatures,” Bruning said.
But as main roads, including interstates, are still mostly snow-covered and slick Burning urged drivers to stay off the road and stay home if possible.
“It is a huge help when we can get people to stay off the roads. That’s just less traffic that we have to try to drive around and certainly reduces the risk of our crews getting hit,” he said.
Bruning added three ODOT salt trucks have been hit by drivers since Monday, including two in the Miami Valley. Bruning urged drivers to be patient and give ODOT crews room to work.
News Center 7 is continuing to monitor the conditions and will update this story with the latest conditions, crashes, and major roadway impacts.