While Winter Storm Blair has passed through Greater Cincinnati, leaving some areas buried in more than 10 inches of snow, residents might still find their Tuesday commute tricky.
The Ohio Department of Transportation’s traffic cameras show that major interstates have seemingly been cleared, and traffic appears to be returning to a more normal rhythm after wintry conditions kept many people off the roads Sunday and Monday.
However, transportation officials warn motorists to drive slowly, leave space between vehicles and avoid using cruise control, as black ice still presents a danger, especially on bridges and overpasses.
“As we go into the overnight hours and into Tuesday morning − please be mindful: bare pavement does not mean a clear road,” the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet District 6 said in a social media post. “Black ice or hard-packed snow still could be present − even on main priority routes!”
Although conditions have seemingly improved on many main highways, side streets might still be worse for wear as crews prioritize major roadways.
Cincinnati’s Department of Public Services typically treats primary routes such as hills, bridges, main thoroughfares and the Downtown business district first. After a winter weather event concludes, crews work to clear all streets within 24 hours.
The city maintains an online snow plow tracker so residents can check the progress of snow removal crews in their neighborhood. Those expecting to be on the roads Tuesday can also check ODOT’s traffic map for current road conditions.
Snow emergency levels on Tuesday
According to Enquirer media partner Fox19, several Greater Cincinnati counties remained under level 2 snow emergencies Tuesday morning.
Those include Hamilton, Butler, Clermont and Warren counties in Ohio, as well as Boone, Kenton and Campbell counties in Kentucky.
A level 2 snow emergency means motorists should only be on the road if it is necessary to do so due to hazardous conditions such as accumulated, blowing and drifting snow and ice.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Check Cincinnati road conditions and snow emergency levels Tuesday