Icy Road Conditions In Austin Spark Accidents, Road Closures

AUSTIN, TX — Icy road conditions have led to a number of accidents throughout Travis County on Tuesday afternoon, prompting officials to urge motorists to drive carefully.

Medics at Austin-Travis EMS have responded to numerous vehicle collisions throughout Travis County, four of which were rollover accidents. Most of the incidents have occurred west of MoPac Expressway (Texas State Highway Loop 1), according to medics.

One serious wreck resulted in a fatality along Highway 71 and Spanish Oaks Club Boulevard, according to EMS medics. An adult male perished in the latter wreck involving three vehicles that occurred at around 5:30 p.m. Eight other victims were treated for non-life-threatening injuries, according to medics.

Another traffic accident has prompted the closure of South Congress Avenue at William Cannon Drive, city officials said. All lanes of the major artery have been closed, and city officials say motorists normally traveling on the road will have to find alternative routes to reach their destinations.

Related story: Multi-Vehicle Cedar Park Wreck Prompts Road Closure

Also closed was SH 71 in both directions as a result of a collision, according to the Lake Travis Fire Fighter Association. Additionally, southbound 183 at Lamar Boulevard was down to just one lane late Tuesday after a multi-vehicle wreck. Texas Department of Transportation officials report the Lamar Road exit near the crash site was closed Tuesday evening.

As of early evening, the temperature in Austin was 28 degrees, dipping below the 30-degree mark that marked most of Tuesday afternoon. By and large, motorists experiencing temperate weather in Texas are unaccustomed to driving in ice, which demands deceleration and a safe distance between cars.

The presence of ice on roadways poses a real threat for motorists, especially those not heeding the advice to slow down and not follow other cars too closely. The term "black ice" is sometimes used to describe frozen icy patches, suggesting the virtual invisibility of layers of ice on roadways motorists might not be able to see.

Freezing drizzle and light snow flurries in the area have only added to the road dangers. Although no accumulation has resulted, the condition urged weather officials to issue a winter weather advisory through 7 p.m. given the weather conditions.

Given the slick road conditions and resulting accidents, Texas Department of Transportation crews have taken to treating roadways to melt the ice. While also urging motorists to slow down and keep ample space between cars, TxDot officials also asks drivers to be vigilant of road crews treating area roadways.

Earlier on Tuesday, TxDot crews applied brine on area roadways to help melt ice with focus placed on bridges and overpasses.

There's an interactive map at the "Drive Texas" website operated by TxDot allowing users to check on closed roadways. This could prove a useful portal for motorists in plotting out alternative driving routes. To visit the site, click here. For real-time traffic updates, visit drivetexas.org.

The area has been experiencing below-freezing temperatures since around 5 p.m. on Sunday. Some good news: A warming trend is expected to emerge by Wednesday (with temperatures likely to reach the 50s) before a frigid morning start.