Sleet and freezing rain are causing dangerous travel conditions across the Delaware Valley, leading officials to urge drivers to stay off the roads as they continue to respond to dozens of accidents across the region.
A multivehicle crash occurred on Route 206 between 537 and 670 in Mount Holly around 2:15 p.m., according to officials, who said at least eight people were taken to local hospitals.
Authorities closed Route 206 in both directions while they investigated. The road was reopened around 5 p.m.
Another collision on Interstate 295 in East Greenwich, Gloucester County caused delays from exit 18 to mile post 11, according to police. A few other accidents occurred in Gloucester, Burlington, Camden and Mercer counties, but police said none were serious.
NJ Transit announced late Sunday afternoon passengers can use their tickets and passes for alternative travel modes -- rail, light rail or bus.
Cross honoring will be in effect on rail, bus, light rail and private bus carriers from 12:01 a.m. Monday, March 2 through 11:59 p.m. — NJ TRANSIT (@NJTRANSIT) March 1, 2015
SEPTA customers traveling on the following bus routes experienced delays Sudnay evening due to icy conditions: 103.114, 115, 18, 48, 55, 58, 7, 97, H, and XH. SEPTA's Route L bus, which travels between Erdenhiem/Plymouth Meeting Mall and the Olney Transportation Center, stopped servicing Erdenhiem and Plymouth Meeting Mall.
SEPTA suspended trolley service around 11:45 p.m. Sunday due to ice build-up on the overhead wires. Crews are working to break the ice and restore power by the Monday morning rush hour Passengers are advised to seek alternate means of travel and can check SEPTA.org for updates.
In Philadelphia, the Streets Department deployed 85 salt trucks to treat the city's streets. No serious accidents have been reported in Philly.
PennDOT issued a speed restriction on all highways -- motorists should not exceed 45 miles per hour. The state's transportation department sent out more than 350 trucks to salt the roads.
The Delaware River Port Authority also lowered speeds around 2 p.m. on all bridges between Philadelphia and New Jersey to 25 miles per hour.
In New Jersey, speeds on the Atlantic City Expressway, NJ Turnpike and Garden State Parkway have all been reduced to 35 miles per hour.
Officials at Philadelphia International Airport reported several hundred cancelations.
As of 2:30 PM, 149 arrivals and 143 departures were reported canceled. Please check airline for flight status before leaving for #PHL! — PHLAirport (@PHLAirport) March 1, 2015
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Travelers heading to the airport should check their flight status by calling 1-800-PHL-GATE or visiting PHL.org.
Officials reported more than 50 minor accidents in Delaware, all happening after 12:30 p.m.. Kent County had at least 26 fender benders, New Castle County had 27 and Sussex county had five.
Crews in Lehigh, Montgomery, Chester, Delaware and Bucks counties said they responded to more than 20 minor crashes. So far no major injuries have been reported.
