Salem-area law enforcement responded to multiple crashes Tuesday after roads turned icy overnight.
Lt. Treven Upkes, spokesman for the Salem Police Department, said the agency responded to nine crashes between 5 a.m. and noon Tuesday.
The Marion County Sheriff’s Office responded to at least 13 crashes in the past 24 hours, spokesman Sgt. Jeremy Landers said Tuesday afternoon.
“Given the icy roads this morning, we saw a significant spike in crashes being reported to us,” Landers said.
He said the sheriff’s office doesn’t respond to every crash that’s called in due to limited resources. The agency prioritizes crashes that cause additional traffic issues or where someone is injured.
The city of Salem wrote in a Tuesday afternoon news release that Public Works snow and ice response staff “will be on stand-by” as weather forecasts show Salem and the Willamette Valley could continue having subfreezing temperatures with potential snow in the hills and the valley floor during the week.
“City snow plows and sanding equipment have been tested and are ready for use,” the news release said.
A vehicle went off the road on Southeast Delaney Road on Tuesday, Dec. 14. (Courtesy/Marion Polk Traffic, Crime and Severe Weather Alerts)
Information about Salem snow routes is available on the city’s Current Road Conditions Map.
“Long-range forecasts indicate we may be in this weather pattern for a couple of weeks,” the news release said.
-Ardeshir Tabrizian
