Update: snowfall sows chaos on Chattanooga’s access roads

Though no major roads have been reported closed by the Tennessee Highway Patrol, all the major access roads surrounding Chattanooga have wrecks reported.

“Many counties in TDOT’s Region area 2 have had 2 inches of snow fall over the past two hours and many routes are snow-covered and hazardous,” said Jennifer Flynn, TDOT spokesperson. “Drivers are urged to use caution if they have to travel or better yet, just stay home until the weather improves so our people can continue salting and plowing operations.”

TDOT is working to keep Interstates clear. Once that is complete, they will move to state routes. All routes are open, but many are covered with patches snow and ice, Flynn said.

TDOT’s Twitter feed reveals a long list of multiple-vehicle crashes on I-75 north and south, I-24 east and west, and State Route 153 south. The latest, on 153, was reported less than 30 minutes ago, though most occurred about an hour ago.

All were expected to be cleared by midnight, the tweets say.

Just west of Chattanooga, from Prentice Cooper State Park north toward Dunlap; northwest to Tracy City and beyond; and west to Jasper, South Pittsburg and beyond, the roads are listed as extremely hazardous.

Photos submitted by readers showed roads throughout the Chattanooga region that were nearly covered by snow after days of warnings from meteorologists that the area could receive heavy snowfall. Schools have been canceled nearly all week, but only on Friday did the city finally receive snow worthy of the dire weather warnings.