JACKSONVILLE, N.C. -- Onslow County may have been spared the worst of the winter storm, but frigid temperatures and sleet still caused dangerous road conditions for drivers, prompting some bridge closures in Jacksonville.
"We clearly were fortunate and did not get the weather that some other places got. What we got was ice.” said Glenn Hargett, the Assistant City Manager of Jacksonville. “It did cause around 2 p.m. yesterday afternoon to have to close down the bypass as the very exposed bridge and high winds, cold temperatures created a real problem for motorists who were trying to travel that route.”
According to the NCDOT, bridges and overpasses are always the first to freeze over because of their height and the air pockets that are formed around them.
As a result, there were half a dozen accidents due to ice.
"Most of them were on the bridges and some did involve a non-serious injury mostly from sliding and bumping into vehicles although one vehicle near the Northeast Creek Bridge did overturn and roll,” said Hargett.
All of the bridges that were closed Saturday night have reopened but with the work week starting Monday, drivers are urged to be careful when going out on to the roadways.
"We're asking folks to judge whether or not they really need to get out at this time,” said Hargett. “Obviously we know they have to go to work tomorrow or today, there are no restrictions on it just to use caution and travel looking for black ice and other things that may not have been there.”