It has become a tragic tradition along a single stretch of Northern Michigan highway. On the first couple of icy days of the season, fatal car crashes have claimed lives along US 31 between Interlochen corners and the Benzie County line. This year proved to be no exception.
On December 3rd, just after 7:30 at night near Betsie Valley Road, two people were killed and several others injured when a driver lost control leading to a multiple car accident. Then just a few days later, a second crash along the same 2 mile stretch of road claimed another life and sent others to the hospital.
We reported these crashes, and viewers like you responded with concerns and questions. Many of you emailed and called wondering if there is something about this recently laid asphalt that makes it slick?
According to MDOT, the answer is no. In a statement they released to me they explained: "Standard mixtures were used for this project, selected in accordance with MDOT's specifications for the type of road and volumes of traffic it receives. In fact, this repaving was specifically designed, in part, to optimize the "friction" or surface coarse-ness of this road, since pavements can become more smooth over the years. "Standard mixtures were used for this project... In fact, this repaving was specifically designed, in part, to optimize the "friction" or surface coarse-ness of this road."
Other viewers wondered if it's not the road, is it how Grand Traverse County plows and salts it.
The Grand Traverse County Road Commission says there isn't much more than can do. According to Mary Gillis, "The Grand Traverse County Road Commission performs routine maintenance on this stretch of road for MDOT. That includes plowing, sanding, salting, pothole patching, etc. This section of US 31 is the highest priority road that we maintain - this means it receives the highest level of winter maintenance that we give along with several other State Trunk lines in this county."
Still other viewers wondered if the slick conditions could be the fault of nearby tall pines that shade the road.
Gillis says it's a possibility in that in the absence of trees and shade "the sun can warm the pavement up and accelerate the melting of snow and ice." The problem maybe compounded by the fact that shaded roads will stay cooler and in some situations, "the temperature may prevent the salt from de-icing if it is cold enough." On the other hand, Gillis points out that trees near roads are pretty common place here in Northern Michigan.
So according to MDOT and the Road Commission, there is no quick and easy fix. Whether you agree of not with that assessment, bottom line is that in the meantime, it may be up to us drivers to find a solution. So I turned to the one person I know who is an expert when it comes to roads, traffic, and accidents, Mark Gallo.
Mark Gallo has decades of experience as an accident investigator. He headed up the Oakland County Sheriff's department crash team at a time when they investigated 7000 accidents a year. He has been called to testify in court cases in dozens of counties as an expert witness. In my books, he knows a thing or two about safe driving. I asked Mark to do me a favor, help me figure out if there are things that we as drivers can do along this stretch of road to increase our safety.
Mark and I drove the stretch of road and he provided some very insightful comments that not only apply to US 31, but just about any road you may drive. You can watch the video that accompanies this story to see the actual stretches of road that Mark is talking about, but bottom line here is some of Mark's advice:
1.) Slushy ice tends to build up near crossroads, driveways, and entries to businesses. As drivers pulling out of these locations onto a road like US 31 we should allow lots of room, we may slip and it will take us longer to get up to speed. As cars traveling on the road, we should give extra room to cars pulling out.
2.) Hills can be a real challenge. Not only do we have limited visibility, but slush tends to accumulate at the bottom of the hills as it melts down from the top. As the temperature drops, that bottom of the hill slush will freeze. Assume that there will be ice at the bottom of any hill.
3.) Assume that tree lined roads will have some ice build up where the trees shade the road. Keep an eye out for trees that line the western side of the road, and therefore block the afternoon sun.
4.) Keep your windshield, back windows, and mirrors clear to improve your visibility. Also, clean your headlights and taillights. Road spray and buildup can reduce their effectiveness by up to 80%.
5.) Breaking distance on marginal roads (wet, a little slush) can double in the blink of an eye. Give yourself lots of room.
So what do you think? Do you have any suggestions or tips that I can pass along to MDOT, the Road Commission, or to fellow drivers? Please leave them below by posting a comment.
