UDATE: Main Urbandale Streets Cleared; Be Careful on Side Streets

UPDATE: Main routes have been cleared and are wet from traffic, Urbandale officials said mid-afternoon Monday.

About 80 percent of the city's side streets also have been cleared, said Tim Stovie, assistant director of public works. He expected city plows to have gone over all the city streets at least once by nightfall.

"I don't anticipate that we'll get any refreezing on the main streets, just be careful of the side streets," Stovie said.

There were 13 accidents reported to Urbandale Police today because of slick roads said Public Information officer Jeff Casey. 

Casey encouraged motorists driving home to make sure that they have cleared snow from both windshields, all windows and mirrors, the hood of their car and from around their vehicles headlamps.

WHAT WE WROTE THIS MORNING: 

Light snow this morning backed up traffic this morning and caused numerous accidents in Urbandale and elsewhere said Urbandale Police public information officer Jeff Casey.

Casey didn't have a total of accidents in Urbandale this morning, but had some first-hand information because he was driving during rush hour.

"Hickman was backed up at rush hour. It was crazy. It was really, really backed up," he said. "There were people driving way to fast for conditions."
That was the key reason for so many accidents this morning, he said.

"When there's three inches or more of snow, people slow down and drive for the conditions much more than when there's an inch or less," he said. "It doesn't take much to make the streets slippery."

He said the snow was not unexpected and Urbandale public works crews were treating streets.

The key issue was people driving too fast for conditions on major thoroughfares and the freeway. 

"It's still winter and we're still in Iowa," he said.