Roads Becoming Treacherous as Heavy Snow Moves Through

If you’re thinking of venturing onto the roads in this snowstorm, don’t.

That’s the message road crews and first responders are trying to impress on the region’s drivers.

“You don’t go outside and do anything right now. We have jackknifed tractor trailers, cars spinning out all over the place right now,” NBC10 traffic anchor Jillian Mele said.

Hundreds of accidents were reported throughout the day Tuesday. The New Jersey State Police tweeted that as of 4 p.m. there were 238 motor vehicle accidents and 354 motorist aids -- just in the areas they patrol.

Heavy snow is falling at 1 to 2 inches per hour making it difficult for road crews to keep up with the accumulations. Looking through the NBC10 SkyNet camera network, many neighborhood roads and highways are covered in snow and slush.

“The roads are really slippery. Even where you’re seeing blacktop, you’re seeing it through the slush. So you’re not seeing the actual surface of the roadway now,” Mele said. “It’s only going to get worse.”

Highways like I-76 and I-95 have speed restrictions of 45 mph in effect and area bridges have speeds ranging from 25 to 45 mph. Even where roads are clear, the on and off-ramps can be treacherous.

“When you get snow falling at this rate, the on and off ramps are sometimes not as much a priority as the main road is and the on and off ramps tend to be a little more snow covered, a little more slippery,” Mele said.

The problem also caused delays of 60 minutes or more on some SEPTA  bus routes. Regional rail stations were packed as trains filled with people trying to get out of the city.

This photo taken by NBC10 viewer Michael shows bundled up crowds at the Market East Regional Rail Hub around 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

To see the latest traffic conditions, you can check out our Traffic section.