MONROE - Icy road conditions closed area schools Tuesday, signaling the start to a slippery day for motorists.
But despite the falling temperatures and a winter rainfall, county highway officials were optimistic about road conditions by Tuesday evening.
"We're all watching the weather and the trucks are all loaded up with salt," Green County Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel said Tuesday afternoon. "But it looks like the pavement temperatures will be high enough that it won't be too much of a problem."
Both Wunschel and Lafayette County Highway Commissioner Tom Jean said their departments had laid out enough salt and other abrasives Monday night to prevent any significant freezing on county roadways.
Jean said much of Tuesday was spent instead dealing with water drainage issues after the unseasonably warm day's rain showers.
"And, with the way the wind's blowing, we're hoping the water will dry as it freezes," Jean said, referring to winds that gusted as high as 45 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
However, Wunschel and Jean said members of their departments were patrolling county roads Tuesday to check out trouble spots: sheltered areas, the crests of hills, curves - "places where people notice it freezing first," Wunschel said.
Since 4:28 a.m. Tuesday, eight traffic crashes were reported in Green County by late Tuesday afternoon, said Green County Lt. Kari Phillips, two of which caused minor injuries, and several of which were caused by unsafe road conditions.
Meanwhile, Lafayette County Sheriff Reg Gill said no crashes were reported in Lafayette County on Tuesday.
More mixed wintry precipitation is expected today: The forecast calls for a chance of sleet with a high of 35 degrees.
But despite the falling temperatures and a winter rainfall, county highway officials were optimistic about road conditions by Tuesday evening.
"We're all watching the weather and the trucks are all loaded up with salt," Green County Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel said Tuesday afternoon. "But it looks like the pavement temperatures will be high enough that it won't be too much of a problem."
Both Wunschel and Lafayette County Highway Commissioner Tom Jean said their departments had laid out enough salt and other abrasives Monday night to prevent any significant freezing on county roadways.
Jean said much of Tuesday was spent instead dealing with water drainage issues after the unseasonably warm day's rain showers.
"And, with the way the wind's blowing, we're hoping the water will dry as it freezes," Jean said, referring to winds that gusted as high as 45 mph, according to the National Weather Service.
However, Wunschel and Jean said members of their departments were patrolling county roads Tuesday to check out trouble spots: sheltered areas, the crests of hills, curves - "places where people notice it freezing first," Wunschel said.
Since 4:28 a.m. Tuesday, eight traffic crashes were reported in Green County by late Tuesday afternoon, said Green County Lt. Kari Phillips, two of which caused minor injuries, and several of which were caused by unsafe road conditions.
Meanwhile, Lafayette County Sheriff Reg Gill said no crashes were reported in Lafayette County on Tuesday.
More mixed wintry precipitation is expected today: The forecast calls for a chance of sleet with a high of 35 degrees.