MONROE COUNTY -- Afternoon snow showers caused quite the mess on a lot of roads throughout our area, including a major highway in the Poconos.
Several crashes caused an Interstate 80 backup that lasted for hours.
A tractor-trailer, with its side ripped open, is one of several reasons Interstate 80 East from Tannersville to the Interstate 380 split backed up for hours. Drivers were left waiting.
"Ugh, an hour and 26 minutes," said Husni Othman of New York.
"Sitting, probably about 45 minutes to an hour," said Robert Doney of New Jersey.
The driver of the truck that ripped open tells Newswatch 16 traffic suddenly stopped and the slippery roads caused him to lose control as he tried to brake.
But state police say this is only one of many crashes caused by to the slippery, snowy roads. Those crashes then caused a line of traffic filled with people trying to get somewhere but going nowhere.
"I was going to merge onto 80 East, then we have to go around to 380 and come back here. What are you going to do?" asked Othman.
State police say several crashes started happening around noon, when the snow started falling. In two hours, traffic was backed up for about five miles.
"I'm going out to, well, apparently not anymore. I was going to see a customer out in Brodheadsville. I guess that's not happening," said Adam Bogert of Nescopeck.
"I told my parents I wanted to leave early, nobody listened to me. They have to listen next time. Listen to your kids!" said Othman.
By the evening, state police say traffic started moving smoothly on Interstate 80.