Fog is so dense they closed I-90 and there is a multi car accident

[undeterred]

Nothing as bad as what happened on the eastern side of the state a couple of years ago- but people can't see far enough to stop in time, so they aren't letting any more cars on in Madison anyway.

http://www.weau.com/home/headlines/13486992.html

MILWAUKEE (AP) -- As many as 50 cars could be involved in a series of accidents on Interstate 90 outside of Madison. That's according to the Dane County Sheriff's Department.

Sheriff's Lieutenant Dan Bolch says there's a series of accidents on the eastbound interstate that involve between 30 and 50 vehicles. He says there's injuries but he doesn't know how many yet.

He says law enforcement agents and emergency workers are still trying to sort everything out.

The Wisconsin State Patrol has said at least one person has been killed. Bolch says the accidents appear to be fog-related. Interstate 90 has been shut down in both directions from about mile marker 138 to mile marker 147.

Bolch says that's about from Sigglekow Road to the Badger Interchange.

[fudge stripe cookays]

1. Dayum!

Looks like I got out of there just in time last night! :scared:

Hoping for the best for those folks.

[CatholicEdHead]

2. This is all across the Twin Cities news

The StarTribune made it the top story. There is other information at NBC 15, WMTV from Madison.

www.nbc15.com

There is video of their live break in.

That is always a nasty stretch even in good weather with all the lane changes. NBC 15 said Stoughton was the main hospital and any overflow was going to St Mary's in Madison.

[undeterred]

3. Update: Dozens of vehicles involved in I-90 pileups; two dead, more than 30 injured

Two people were killed in a series of multi-vehicle crashes in dense fog that started at about 2:30 p.m. on I-90 near Siggelkow Road, just south of Highway 12-18 on Madison's East Side.

In addition to the deaths, three other people were taken to Madison hospitals with life-threatening injuries. According to a release from the Dane County Department of Emergency Management, about 50 people were taken to hospitals.

Dozens of vehicles involved in I-90 pileups; two dead, more than 30 injured
Two people were killed in a series of multi-vehicle crashes in dense fog that started at about 2:30 p.m. on I-90 near Siggelkow Road, just south of Highway 12-18 on Madison's East Side.

In addition to the deaths, three other people were taken to Madison hospitals with life-threatening injuries. According to a release from the Dane County Department of Emergency Management, about 50 people were taken to hospitals.

... more http://www.madison.com/wsj/topstories/index.php?ntid=265768&ntpid=1

Wow, this was really bad. I'm supposed to go to Janesville tomorrow but if the fog hasn't lifted I'm staying home

[Sabien]

4. FYI FIBS

I drove from Madison to Milwaukee on I-94 today - left shortly before these accidents. I was driving 60 mph - slower at times. During my trip - I couldn't see more than 4 white stripes ahead of my vehicle. Yet, I was getting passed regularly - and often by 3, 4, and 5 car NASCAR style bunches. Not a single big-rig by the way...

My guestimate - about 1 in 5 of these vehicles had Illinois plates. One guy in a silver Beamer had to be doing 75 or more.

:shrug:

[CatholicEdHead]

6. That seems to be normal everywhere

In bad weather people do not drive to the conditions, it is even worse on Interstates or other major four lane highways. And out of staters always seem to go faster (get passed by lots of Wisconsinites when they drive in Minnesota).

I am not surprised, on 90/94 from Tomah to Portage people mostly do a reasonable speed (must be the State Patrol in the North, Central and South parts of the Dells), but once you join with I-39 at Portage and you get that extra lane you just fly and this happened right after you loose that third lane so most drivers have not adjusted to it, it takes until at least to the County Road N exit in Cottage Grove towards Stoughton before that happens (another major speed trap area, watch the N bridge for State Patrol).

[DollyM]

8. another opinion . . .

I live near Green Bay and still proudly have my Illinois license plate and drivers license. The whole FIB thing just needs to be dropped. It is prejudice, pure and simple, to assume that someone from Illinois is a bad driver or rude or from Chicago. There is a whole state of good and kind people, with good driving habits, located below Chicago. I for one, have never had an accident or a ticket. The only "Nascar style" bunches we saw going around us the other night all had Wisconsin plates. It is not the state you are from that makes you a good driver, it is the brains that you have in your head.

[undeterred]

5. I just heard a morning news report

There is still dense fog so I decided not to drive from Madison to Janesville.

2 killed, 50 more injured, some seriously. Emergency responders did a great job but it took a long time because people were wandering around. Some people said they were just sitting in their cars and they could hear one crash after another, but they couldn't even see the crashes.

People need to slow down and turn their lights on when driving in fog.

http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=18782

Emergency response officials responded to the crashes throughout the afternoon and night, with assistance coming from nearly a dozen agencies. One local reporter published a trio of photos (here, here, and here) of a press conference held by the Wisconsin State Patrol and other agencies at a Wingate Inn motel near the location of the interstate crashes. More photos from the scene are available from the State Journal and WISC-TV. Live online footage of Madison roadways is provided here by the Wisconsin DOT.

One recent traveler suggests a number of “troubling factors” that may have contributed to the accidents, including slow communications about the accidents once the first reports were made, poor signage, and of course, bad drivers. “I drove from Madison to Milwaukee at noon, and I cannot believe how many people either didn't have their lights on or used just their parking lights in the fog,” they comment. “Also, too many people were tailgating, and the over-cautious drivers were also screwing things up by breaking too often and fluctuating speeds too much.”

A second observer notes the rescue and recovery following the accidents, which included transportation by Madison Metro and emergency relief from the Red Cross and Salvation Army, and urges drivers to slow down. “Please, please people: slow down, turn your lights on, and stay alert (and off your damn cell phone!) if you have to be on the roads in these conditions,” she urges. “With the warmer temperatures, melting snow, and rain moving in, dense fog is likely to be with us throughout the week.”

[mockmonkey]

7. I swear

when I was driving around Appleton at least 25% of the drivers couldn't be bothered to turn their lights on. I don't understand these people.:crazy:

[undeterred]

9. Well you usually turn your lights on to see things better

In the fog you're turning lights on to be seen better (at least in the daytime). I admit to being one of those people who had to be reminded yesterday. :blush: