Minn. deep freeze recedes, but snow bottles up traffic
(AP) Just as Minnesota began to emerge from a days-long deep freeze, a sudden snowfall caused dozens of crashes during the Tuesday morning commute, including a pile up on Interstate 35.
The crash about a mile-and-a-half north of Elko involved at least four semis and scores of cars, a State Patrol spokesman said. No serious injuries were immediately reported, but several emergency vehicles rushed to the scene.
"It's kind of a mess out there," said the spokesman, Lt. Mark Peterson.
Temperatures dropped below zero in Minnesota on Saturday morning, and it was still frigid in northeastern Minnesota early Tuesday, including 31 below zero in Cook, the National Weather Service reported.
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But the temperature had risen to around 5 above zero in the southwestern part of the state, and the weather service said highs would likely climb above zero later Tuesday in other parts of the state.
After three days of extreme cold, however, the snow appeared to catch morning drivers off guard.
According to the Department of Public Safety, there were 290 crashes on Minnesota roads during rush-hour traffic Tuesday, including 236 in the Twin Cities metropolitan area. Several injuries were reported, but no fatalities.
One or 2 inches of snowfall was expected in the Twin Cities, with a bit more possible in rural areas.
At the Capitol, Democrats criticized Gov. Tim Pawlenty's administration over what they described as a poor response to the snowfall.
Senate Transportation Committee Chairman Steve Murphy of Red Wing said "chronic underfunding" of the transportation department meant roads weren't treated with chemicals and plowed in a timely fashion.
"I can't fault the snow plow drivers. They are out there doing the best they can. But they need help," Murphy said.
He said he hoped people would use the harried commute as reason to urge passage of a gas tax and other funding streams that previously ran into a Pawlenty veto.
A phone message left with a Transportation Department spokeswoman wasn't immediately returned.