PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — Many local roads were turned into icy, snowy parking lots Wednesday morning with drivers inching their way to wherever they were going.

The winter weather also kept emergency crews on their toes, responding to several accidents.

Less than an hour after Old Man Winter laid down his white blanket of snow, it was slow moving on the Parkway West inbound and outbound.

The motorists who were not stranded by disabled tractor trailers seemed to be in three gears only – slippery, sliding and stuck.

“We’ve had some issues on the roadways,” said Steve Cowan, of PennDOT. “This morning on the Parkway West outbound, there were three disabled tractor trailer trucks.”

But PennDOT was ready for the season’s first major snowstorm. Even the neon signs flashed what was to be expected, “Winter Storm Warning: Please Use Caution.”

“We are absolutely prepared,” said Cowan. “This morning, our crews were out pre-treating the major interstates with our brine solution.”

Just to give you an idea of the work cut out for PennDOT; in Allegheny County alone, crews cover more than 3,500 miles.

“We have 65 of our own plow trucks out on the roadways along with 15 rental trucks that we’re using,” Cowan added.

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