Cincinnati is ‘largest downside space’ in state as heavy snow falls throughout rush hour

ODOT: Cincinnati is ‘biggest problem area’ in state as heavy snow falls during rush hour

Updated: 7:35 PM EST Feb 10, 2021

Hide Transcript
Show Transcript

I’LL SEND IT BACK OVER TO THE DESK WITH YOU GUYS AND THANKS SO MUCH. SO AGAIN IF YOU’RE WATCHING FROM HOME RIGHT NOW, THIS IS BREAKING NEWS. WE’RE ON A LITTLE BIT EARLY TONIGHT MIKE DARDIS ALONG WITH SHEREE PAOLELLO THIS WEATHER SITUATION IF YOU MISS KEVIN SOME INTERESTING THINGS, HE SAID ICE DOWN SOUTH OF THE RIVER RIGHT NOW NORTHERN KENTUCKY SOME OF OUR SOUTHERN VIEWING AREA BUT LATER TONIGHT SEVERAL INCHES OF SNOW ON TOP OF THE ICE AND WITH THE TEMPERATURE IN THE 20S SOMETHING INTERESTING THAT HE SAID DOESN’T TAKE AS MUCH MOISTURE TO MAKE SNOW. SO BECAUSE OF THAT AND THE THE TEMPERATURE THE AIR TEMPERATURE THE WEIGHT IS EXPECTED TO BE SLICK AS HE SAID AS KEVIN SAID THROUGH THE NIGHTTIME HOURS NOT JUST A ONE OR TWO HOUR THING. THIS IS GOING TO BE SEVERAL HOURS AND I HAVE TO TELL YOU I’VE BEEN TALKING WITH PEOPLE ALL OVER GREATER CINCINNATI TALKING OUT IN SOUTHEASTERN, INDIANA TO NORTHERN KENTUCKY MILFORD AND UP NORTH IN MASON. EVERYONE IS GETTING HIT RIGHT NOW. SO UNFORTUNATELY NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE. YOU REALLY NEED TO TAKE IT SAFE OUT THERE IF YOU ARE HEADING OUT ON THE ROADS SPEAKING OF WHICH TODD — IS OUT THERE IN THE ELEMENTS FOR US RIGHT THERE ALONG 71. FIVE AND TODD. WHAT ARE YOU SEEING WHERE YOU ARE? CAN YOU SEE THE BACKUPS THAT WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT YET? YOU KNOW, I CAN TELL YOU I EXPERIENCE THOSE BACK UP STREET IS TRYING TO GET TO THIS LIVE LOCATION, YOU KNOW OUR STATIONS IN MOUNT AUBURN AND THE THIS IS WHEN CINCINNATI THE CITY OF HILLS IS NOT THE GREAT NAME OR IT’S NOT GREAT THAT WE ARE A CITY OF HILLS, YOU KNOW, A LOT OF FOLKS TRYING TO GET DOWN DORCHESTER FOR EXAMPLE, UM OTHER STREETS AND OTHER THAT ARE ON HILLS. IT’S VERY DIFFICULT TO GO DOWN AND ALSO TO COME UP SO LET ME TELL YOU WHERE AM RIGHT NOW. WE’RE JUST NORTH LYTLE TUNNEL THE TRAFFIC YOU SEE COMING TOWARD IT SAYS TRAFFIC HEADING SOUTHBOUND ON I-71 ABOUT TO GO THROUGH THE HEART OF DOWNTOWN CINCINNATI THEN COMING OUT OF THIS OFTEN. THEY’LL GET ON THE BRENT SPENCE BRIDGE AND THEN HEAD SOUTH THAT WAY GETTING TO THE CONTINENT HILL. YOU CAN SEE NORTHBOUND TRAFFIC LOOKS TO BE MOVING RELATIVELY. WELL, THERE’S LESS TRAFFIC. IT SEEMS ON THE NORTHBOUND SIDE. THAT’S PERHAPS BECAUSE CONDITIONS AS YOU MOVE NORTH ARE A LITTLE LESS INTENSE AS OPPOSED TO HEADING SOUTH NOW MY VIDEOGRAPHER SEAN ELLIOTT GONNA HAVE HIM SHOW YOU WHAT IT LOOKS LIKE FOR FOLKS WHO ARE TRYING TO LEAVE DOWNTOWN. WE’RE ACTUALLY NEXT TO THE PNG TOWERS AND THEY’RE TRYING TO LEAVE DOWNTOWN HEADING TO 471 SOUTHBOUND TO GET ACROSS THE RIVER THAT WAY AND IT IS A VERY SLOW GO OF COURSE SOME OF THAT TRAFFIC PEELS OFTEN HEADS NORTHBOUND 71, BUT FOR THOSE TRYING TO GET ACROSS THE BRIDGE 471 SOUTH THAT’S A MESS AS WELL. AND YOU KNOW JUST IT WAS DIFFICULT. I THINK THIS CAME IN A LITTLE BIT EARLIER THAN AT LEAST I EXPECTED THAT I WAS AT THE STATION. ON REPORTS RELATED THIS EVENING, AND I’D LISTEN TO KENTUCKY GOVERNOR ANDY BASHIR HIS ENTIRE NEWS CONFERENCE CERTAINLY A VERY ALARMING NEWS CONFERENCE FOR FOLKS. LET’S SAY WEST OF 75 AND FURTHER SOUTH IN KENTUCKY AND IN WESTERN KENTUCKY TALKING ABOUT THAT POTENTIAL ICE STORM IN A SITUATION. THAT COULD BE VERY TREACHEROUS FOR THE NEXT DAY OR SO AND AND EVEN MORE BEYOND THAT BECAUSE MORE ROUNDS OF WINTER WEATHER HEADING OUR WAY AS KEVIN HAS BEEN TELLING YOU AND OUR TEAM OF METEOROLOGISTS, BUT IT WAS INTERESTING GOVERNOR WAS HERE TALKED ABOUT RUSH HOUR TONIGHT BEING A MESS, BUT IT INDICATING THOUGHT IT WOULD START AROUND FIVE. OF COURSE. IT’S ALREADY MOVING IN FROM THE WESTERN PART OF KENTUCKY. SO THE TIMING SEEMS MAYBE IT MOVED UP A LITTLE BIT FASTER. I DON’T KNOW, BUT I KNOW WHEN I WAS TRYING TO LEAVE I’D HEAD DOWN THIS WAY. IT WAS JUST A MESS ALREADY AND IT WAS A SLOW GO, YOU KNOW, BASICALLY YOU’RE JUST LEAVING AS MUCH ROOM AHEAD OF YOU AS YOU CAN AND LETTING EVERYBODY KIND OF GO WITH THEIR OWN PACE. I THINK ANYONE IN CINCINNATI WHO DOES HAVE TO BE OUT IF YOU CAN AVOID HEADING ON A HILLY AREA, THAT WOULD BE THE MOST ADVISABLE THING BECAUSE IT IS RIGHT NOW JUST DIFFICULT TO GET TRACTION TO GO UP AND AND IF ONE CAR AHEAD OF YOU GET STUCK, THEN YOU’RE JUST BACKED UP. SO IT’S IT’S NOT EASY RIGHT NOW. SNOW’S DEFINITELY COMING DOWN AT A PRETTY GOOD CLIP RIGHT NOW AND AGAIN 71 SOUTHBOUND. I MEAN THESE DRIVERS ARE DOING A GOOD JOB LEAVING SOME SPACE TRYING TO TAKE IT EASY AND JUST KIND OF GO WITH THE FLOW NO MAJOR BACKUPS AT THIS POINT FROM THIS VANTAGE POINT, BUT ON THOSE SIDE STREETS AND ANYWHERE WHERE THERE’S A HILLY ROAD HERE IN CINCINNATI, AND THERE ARE A LOT OF THEM. THAT’S WHERE I THINK YOU’RE GONNA RUN INTO PROBLEMS AT LEAST RIGHT NOW MY COUNTRY SEND IT BACK TO YOU IN THE STUDIO AND KEEP AN EYE ON THE CONDITIONS OUT HERE WHERE WE ARE. STATE AND AS TODD WAS TALKING ABOUT THE SLIPPERY ROADS AND PEOPLE REALLY STRUGGLING OUT THERE. I’M WATCHING AND ONE OF OUR REPORTERS HELENA BATTIPAGLIA IS WATCHING AND FILMING AS A COUPLE OF GUYS ARE PUSHING THEIR FRIENDS CAR. THIS IS RIGHT UP KEMPER NEAR COLUMBIA PARKWAY, SO IT IS VERY A VERY SNOW COVERED OUT THERE ALREADY AND KEEP IN MIND. WE’RE JUST IN THE BEGINNING OF THIS THING TONIGHT AS TODD WAS POINTING OUT HERE AT 4:39, AND WE’RE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE EVENING RUSH OR AT LEAST THE BEGINNING OF IT. LET’S GO OUT AND SHOW YOU SOME OF THOSE ROAD CONDITIONS IN LIVE DRIVE FIVE RIGHT NOW. WE’RE IN THE WALNUT HILLS AREA AND YOU COULD SEE THAT IT’S KIND OF GRIDLOCK GOING UP THIS HILL ESPECIALLY THE WIPERS GOING FULL BORE PEOPLE KEEPING THEIR SAFE DISTANCE THERE. SO THIS IS THE SITUATION AND GILBERT AVENUE IN THE WALNUT HILLS AREA. WE WANT TO BRING IN METEOR. ALLISON ROGERS RIGHT NOW. SHE’S KEEPING AN EYE ON THE HIGHWAYS AND WE’RE GOING TO KIND OF RIFLE THROUGH SOME OF THE CAMERAS OUT THERE TO SHOW YOU THE CONDITIONS IN YOUR NECK OF THE WOODS ALLISON. ALL RIGHT, SO HERE’S WHAT’S LIKE OUTSIDE RIGHT NOW ON I-275 AT 8 MILE ROAD? SO THIS IS OVER BY THE EASTGATE MALL AREA HERE. WE’VE GOT THE EASTBOUND AND WESTBOUND LANES AND YOU CAN SEE THEY’RE ESSENTIALLY COVERED IN SNOW AND WHERE IT’S NOT AS SNOWY ON THE ROADWAYS IS WHERE A LOT OF THE AREA HAS JUST BEEN DRIVEN THROUGH BUT YOU CAN SEE THESE CAR. GOING VERY SLOW HERE. RIGHT ALONG EIGHT MILE ROAD AGAIN ON 275 AND WE’VE SEEN A LOT OF DIFFERENT ROADWAYS ACROSS CINCINNATI THAT ARE COVERED IN ROADS AGAIN HERE IS I-70 I-275 NORTH RIGHT AROUND 74. I DO BELIEVE AS WELL AND THE ROADS. THERE ARE ALSO COVERED IN SNOWFALL AND YOU CAN KIND OF SEE THAT THEY ARE MOVING THROUGH THEY’VE GOT THE HEADLIGHTS ON SO AGAIN HEADLIGHTS ON IS A GOOD IDEA, BUT IF YOU’RE NOT OUT I WOULD STAY HOME STAY PUT AS WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT ALL AFTERNOON AND ALL EVENING LONG. I-275 AT LOVELAND AND MADEIRA AS WELL THIS NOT LOOKING MUCH BETTER THAN OVER BY EIGHT MILE ROADS STILL COVERED AND QUITE A BIT OF SNOWFALL HERE SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE ROADS MOST OF THE CARS AT LEAST GOING OKAY WITH AN EXCEPTION OF THESE CARS AGAIN. JUST GOING VERY VERY SLOW TRYING TO FOLLOW IN THE PATH OF WHERE THE CAR IN FRONT OF IT HAS BEEN GOING AGAIN CLEARING OUT SOME OF THAT ROADWAY THERE. HERE’S I-75 AT PFEIFFER OR I-71 RATHER AT PFEIFFER AS WELL GRIDLOCK THERE AND THE CARS JUST GOING VERY VERY SLOW MAKING IT QUITE DIFFICULT. IT LOOKS LIKE FOR SOME OF THOSE CARS TO MERGE ON TO THE INTERSTATE THERE AS WELL AGAIN. IT’S NOT EASY TO DRIVE AROUND CINCINNATI. OF COURSE ANYTIME. WE ARE DEALING WITH SNOWY CONDITIONS, ESPECIALLY WHENEVER WE’RE TALKING ABOUT SNOW COVERED ROADS BECAUSE WE HAVE GOT A LOT OF HILLS AROUND THE AREA AS WELL I-71 AT ROBERTSON THIS AGAIN COVERED IN SNOW, YOU CAN SEE ACTUALLY A MIX OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF CARS ON THE ROADWAYS THOUGH. SO THAT TELLS YOU THAT THE MAJORITY OF THESE ARE EITHER SUV OR EVEN SOME OF THE SMALLER COMPACT CARS AS WELL AND SOME OF THE SEMIS GOING TO SO FAR IT STILL SEEMS LIKE MOST OF THE TRAFFIC IS GOING. OKAY. HERE’S THE LYTLE TUNNEL I-71 RIGHT OVER BY THE LYTLE TUNNEL THERE NEAR DOWNTOWN. AND CARS SEEM TO BE GOING. OKAY AS WELL. THIS IS RIGHT OVER WHERE TODD — WAS JUST AT NOT TOO LONG AGO WHERE WE WERE ABLE TO SEE THEM THERE THE SNOW CONTINUING TO FALL DOWN. SO THESE THIS IS ONE OF THE AREAS THAT WE’VE SEEN THE HEAVIER SNOW MOVING THROUGH AS WE’VE BEEN TALKING ABOUT SOME AREAS SEEING MORE OF THAT WINTRY MIX IN THE ICE THAT HAPPENING FARTHER TO THE SOUTH THIS IS 75 AT US 42 RIGHT NOW ACTUALLY SEEMS LIKE THAT SEEMS TO BE IN PRETTY GOOD SHAPE THERE THAT PORTION OF I-275 CAN’T BE SAID FOR A LOT OF OTHER PARTS OF I-275 AGAIN. WE WERE LOOKING EARLIER AT EIGHT MILE ROAD OVER BY THE EASTGATE MALL THAT WAS COVERED AS WELL HERE 74 AT HARRISON AVENUE SEEMS TO BE DOING OKAY, BUT STILL COVERED IN A DECENT AMOUNT OF SNOWFALL IN OUR CAMERA THERE SEEMS TO BE COVERED IN ICE AS WELL. SO AGAIN, WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THIS MIXED PRECIPITATION WHERE WE ARE SEEING SOME HEAVY SNOW. WE’RE ALL SEEING MORE OF A SLEET AND AN ICY FREEZING RAIN MIX THAT ESPECIALLY FARTHER TO THE SOUTH. HERE’S 275 AT MOSTELLER ROAD HERE AS WELL AND YOU CAN SEE THOSE CARS JUST KIND OF CREEPING ALONG WE HAVE ANOTHER VANTAGE POINT HERE THE SEMIS ALL THE CARS JUST KIND OF CREEPING ALONG THERE GOING VERY VERY SLOW. AND GIVING PLENTY OF SPACE IN BETWEEN EACH CAR AS WELL 75 AT ALLEN ROAD STILL MUCH OF THE SAME THERE VERY SIMILAR PICTURE. WE GOT A SCHOOL BUS GOING BY THERE NOT TOO LONG AGO, BUT AGAIN A LOT OF CARS JUST KIND OF GRIDLOCKED AND MOVING VERY SLOWLY AS A PULL THROUGH 275 I-71 AT WESTERN ROW ANOTHER SIMILAR SITUATION THERE WHERE WE’VE GOT SNOW COVERED ROADS, BUT IT DOES SEEM LIKE THESE ARE STARTING TO BE ABLE TO AT LEAST IT APPEARS THAT THEY MAY HAVE BEEN TREATED SOMEWHAT RECENTLY BECAUSE IT DOES LOOK LIKE THEY’RE NOT COMPLETELY SNOW COVERED AS SOME OF THOSE OTHER ROADS, BUT THIS SNOW GUYS WAS JUST COMING DOWN SO HEAVY THAT THE ROADS AND ROAD CREWS COULDN’T QUITE QUITE KEEP UP AND IT ACTUALLY LOOKED LIKE HAD A SNOW PLOW. MOVING THROUGH THERE NOT TOO LONG AGO. HERE’S ANOTHER LOOK AT I-75 AT CINDY ROAD. SO THIS IS A LITTLE BIT FARTHER NORTH HERE AND YOU CAN SEE MOST OF THE ROADS THERE AGAIN SEEM TO BE COVERED AT LEAST IN SLUSHY SNOW OR SOMETHING LIKE THAT, BUT WE’VE HAD THIS HEAVY SNOW COME DOWN AND IT MADE IT QUITE DIFFICULT FOR ANY SORT OF ROAD CRUISE TREATMENT ANYTHING LIKE THAT TO TAKE PLACE BECAUSE IT WAS COMING DOWN SO HEAVY IN JUST PILING UP SO FAST CHECK THAT OUT I-75 AT 6TH STREET THERE. SO WE’LL CONTINUE TO KEEP YOU GUYS UPDATED THROUGHOUT THE REST OF THE NOON WITH THESE ROAD CONDITIONS AS WE CONTINUE TO GET ANY SORT OF UPDATES IN. I KNOW IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR PHONE OR IF YOU LOOK AT WAYS, IT LOOKS COMPLETELY EITHER RED OR ORANGE. SO THIS IS A TIME TO STAY HOME FOR SURE. BACK OVER HERE ALLISON ROGERS. THANKS SO MUCH FOR THE UPDATE THERE AND AS ALLISON’S TALKING YOU CAN SEE IT IS JUST DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW. IN FACT, I’M GETTING SOME UPDATES HERE LOOKING ON TWITTER. BRIAN HAMRICK. WE HAVE REPORTERS ALL OVER GREATER CINCINNATI TRYING TO TRACK AND FOLLOW WHAT’S GOING ON THROUGHOUT THE AREA. HE’S IN FLORENCE, KENTUCKY 42 RIGHT THERE AT 42 IN MOLE ROAD SAYING, IT’S VERY SLIPPERY. I CAN SEE FROM HIS VIDEO. IT IS LITERALLY BUMPER TO BUMPER THERE RIGHT NOW AND THEY SHERIFF OUT IN DEARBORN COUNTY. INDIANA FOR ALL OF YOU HEADED OUT THERE HEADED OUT WEST SHERIFF SHEEN MCHENRY JUST NOW TWEETING OUT. WE HAVE SEVERAL DEPUTIES OUT TRYING TO HELP DRIVERS RIGHT NOW. WE ARE ASKING YOU IF YOU CAN ONCE YOU GET HOME STAY HOME AND LET THESE ROAD CREWS GET TO WORK SO IT IS CERTAINLY DICEY OUT THERE AND NIGHTMARISH CONDITIONS OUT THERE RIGHT NOW, AND THIS IS WHY WE’RE ON A LITTLE BIT EARLY TONIGHT AGAIN, IF YOU’RE JUST JOINING US BREAKING NEWS THIS WEATHER SITUATION A DANGEROUS EVENING COMMUTE. THE WHOLE IDEA IS TO SHOW YOU WHAT’S GOING ON. SO YOU GET HOME AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE. NOT AS QUICKLY AS POSSIBLE DRIVING FAST, BUT YOU KNOW WHAT, I MEAN SAFELY IS POSSIBLE AND THEN STAY THERE. WE’RE GOING TO GET TO KEVIN IN A MINUTE. BUT RIGHT NOW I WANT TO GO BACK OUT TO LIVE DRIVE FIVE REAL QUICK AND SHOW YOU WE’RE JUST A COUPLE OF BLOCKS EAST OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI. SO THE HIGHWAY SOME OF THEM COVERED IN SNOW SOME OF THEM ALREADY HAVE THE BRINE ON THERE AND THE SALT AND YOU’RE SEEING THAT THEY’RE AT LEAST AS A PATHWAY TO DRIVE BUT ON SOME OF THESE BACK STREETS, EVEN THE ONES THAT ARE HEAVILY TRAVELED YOU HAVE THAT MIX OF YOU CAN SEE SOME PAVEMENT IN THERE PUT ALSO MOST OF IT IS WHITE AND WITH THE TEMPERATURE AT 20 SOMETHING DEGREES. THAT IS A RECIPE FOR A PROBLEM. LET’S TAKE A LOOK NOW AT OUR CITY CAMERA VIEW FOR YOU HERE AS WELL TO GET A ANOTHER SHOT OF WHAT EXACTLY YOU’RE GOING TO BE FACING IF YOU HEAD OUT ONTO THE ROADS AND FROM THE SKY. WELL, IT LOOKS KIND OF BEAUTIFUL OUT THERE TONIGHT RIGHT AS THE SNOW IS COMING DOWN. IT’S ONCE YOU’RE

ODOT: Cincinnati is ‘biggest problem area’ in state as heavy snow falls during rush hour

Updated: 7:35 PM EST Feb 10, 2021

Snow and freezing rain fell across Greater Cincinnati during rush hour Wednesday evening quickly creating hazardous conditions on the roads.Matt Bruning with the Ohio Department of Transportation tweeted Wednesday that he believes Cincinnati got the worst of the winter weather, which began just before 4 p.m.”Biggest problem area is without a doubt Cincinnati,” Bruning said, adding that more than 100 crews from ODOT are currently out treating Cincinnati roadways.More than 1,000 ODOT crews are out treating roads across Ohio.**Click here to view WLWT’s traffic map**Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey has issued a Level 1 snow emergency for the county as snow continues to blanket roadways during rush hour Wednesday evening.The alert applies to all county, township, city and state roadways. The level 1 snow emergency means that roads may be hazardous and icy. Blowing and drifting snow is also possible. The sheriff is not shutting down any roadways at this time but is asking drivers to avoid unnecessary travel. Drivers out on the roadways are urged to use “extreme caution.”

CINCINNATI —

Snow and freezing rain fell across Greater Cincinnati during rush hour Wednesday evening quickly creating hazardous conditions on the roads.

Matt Bruning with the Ohio Department of Transportation tweeted Wednesday that he believes Cincinnati got the worst of the winter weather, which began just before 4 p.m.

“Biggest problem area is without a doubt Cincinnati,” Bruning said, adding that more than 100 crews from ODOT are currently out treating Cincinnati roadways.

This content is imported from Twitter.
You may be able to find the same content in another format, or you may be able to find more information, at their web site.

More than 1,000 ODOT crews are out treating roads across Ohio.

**Click here to view WLWT’s traffic map**

Hamilton County Sheriff Charmaine McGuffey has issued a Level 1 snow emergency for the county as snow continues to blanket roadways during rush hour Wednesday evening.

The alert applies to all county, township, city and state roadways. The level 1 snow emergency means that roads may be hazardous and icy. Blowing and drifting snow is also possible.

The sheriff is not shutting down any roadways at this time but is asking drivers to avoid unnecessary travel. Drivers out on the roadways are urged to use “extreme caution.”