Icy Conditions Plague Roads, Cause Accidents
UPDATED 02/28/11 7:51 a.m.
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Icy, slippery conditions shut down caused numerous problems on the roads, and also the CTA Green Line on the South Side Monday morning.
Heavy rain and thunderstorms overnight, and temperatures below freezing Monday morning, led to icy sidewalks and pavement across the area, CBS 2 Meteorologist Megan Glaros reported.
Due to the ice, Green Line service was suspended for hours Monday morning between the 63rd/Ashland and East 63rd/Cottage Grove terminals and the Roosevelt station due to the inclement weather, the CTA said.
South of the Garfield Boulevard stop, the Green Line splits into two branches – one westbound, formerly known as the Englewood branch, and one eastbound, formerly known as the Jackson Park branch.
Green Line trains only ran westward on the Lake Street branch, to the Harlem/Lake terminal in the near western suburbs, the CTA said.
By 7:20 a.m., Green Line service had been fully restored. But the Orange Line was also experiencing delays Monday morning due to the weather, according to the CTA website.
Ice was also reported on the inbound Dan Ryan Expressway, and was blamed for several accidents across the area.
On Route 83 at eastbound Thorndale Avenue in west suburban Wood Dale, a crash shut down the busy intersection to the point where just one left through-lane and one left turn lane were getting through, CBS 2's Kris Habermehl reported.
Several accidents and spinouts were also reported on Cline Avenue in Northwest Indiana. An accident was also reported at Plainfield Road and Southfield Lane in Oswego, and two other accidents were also reported on Plainfield Road.
Motorists and pedestrians are advised to use extreme caution as the Monday morning commute begins, particularly when on side streets, bridges and overpasses.
As of 6:30 a.m., the temperature was only 28 degrees. But conditions are expected to creep above freezing to 35 later in the day.
The Sun-Times Media Wire contributed to this report.
