Heavy, wet snowfall poses challenges on Hampden County roadways

CHICOPEE, MA (WGGB/WSHM) - Roadways were covered in snow early Tuesday morning when Interstate Towing General Manager Stephen Gonneville woke up and got ready for work.

“This morning has been very hectic. The phones were ringing off the hook since about 4 a.m. when the snow started sticking to the ground. People just weren’t heeding to the warnings when they were out and about,” Gonneville explained.

He told Western Mass News that crews were extremely busy in the morning hours with multiple crashes and cars stuck in snowbanks. The crews in charge of clearing the roadways were even battling with the winter weather.

“We had a tractor-trailer jackknife, we’ve had multiple spin outs off the road, several DPW trucks off the roads in different towns,” Gonneville added.

Tow truck drivers had to take it slow as they told us the conditions were terrible in the morning hours with the snow being wet and heavy on the roads.

“They’re very treacherous. We need to take our time and go slow and other people that are on the roads need to watch out for us…There’s almost like a little layer of ice underneath it, so as you’re going, you really do have no stopping power at all,” Gonneville said.

Along with responding to these emergencies, Interstate was also busy enforcing multiple parking bans across western Massachusetts and as the snow picks back up, Interstate wanted to remind drivers to stay off the roads if possible and drive slow if you do have to head out.

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