Freezing rain triggers chain-reaction crashes, forces closure of Zilwaukee Bridge – check if you are venturing out

An ice storm is hitting Michigan today, one day after Christmas, causing problems across the state. Power outages and road closures are being reported in many areas due to the ice storm, as reported by news reports. Winter weather advisories are in effect across Michigan until 4 p.m. today as freezing rain continues to fall.

The freezing rain is expected to slowly end around noon, but it has already caused serious problems on roads and power lines. Parts of Mid-Michigan could get up to a quarter-inch of freezing rain by Friday afternoon.

Over 25,000 people are currently without power in Michigan because of the ice storm, as reported by Midland Daily News. Mecosta County has the highest number of power outages, with 6,700 people affected.

Power outages in Michigan

Ogemaw County is next, with around 4,260 people without power, according to Outage.us. The Michigan Storm Chasers say most power outages are along a line from Big Rapids to West Branch. Freezing rain caused the Zilwaukee Bridge on I-75 to ice over, leading to crashes and forcing a shutdown.

As of 10:20 a.m., the Zilwaukee Bridge remains closed in both directions. Traffic across the rest of the region is moving slower than normal because of icy conditions, according to MDOT’s MiDrive, cited by Midland Daily News. Here's a video of the Zilwaukee bridge was posted on X by Jaden Pappenheim.

Zilwaukee bridge closed

Michigan’s slopes were slippery today morning, as rains washed its streets in the wee hours. Entrances at the Zilwaukee Bridge were blocked after reports of vehicles spinning came. Multiple semi-trucks have jackknifed on the bridge, making travel unsafe, according to WNEM.

Warnings were issued to drivers to divert from the bridge, and embark on alternate routes to avoid accidents. Clearing of the vehicles who were involved in crash along with the ice on tracks is underway.

Near exit 3, traffic congestion occurred on I-675 in Saginaw County. Official directives for drivers to slow down has also been issued as freezing rain showers are expected to lash again even if it leads to extra travel time. Fire crews from Zilwaukee and Buena Vista are patrolling the area, as the bridge remains closed from all directions as per WNEM. A first alert weather day has been declared by WNEM, lasting through this afternoon due to ongoing dangerous conditions.

FAQs

Q1. Why is the Zilwaukee Bridge closed today?

The bridge is closed because freezing rain made it icy and caused multiple crashes, making it unsafe to drive.

Q2. How many people are without power due to the Michigan ice storm?

More than 25,000 people are without power across Michigan because ice damaged power lines.