Update: Road Conditions Posing Headache for Motorists in Some Spots in Roseville, Twin Cities

Update (5:30 p.m. Tuesday):

The head of Roseville's public works department said snowplowing crews have been challenged in getting snow-compacted-into-ice off the city's most heavily travelled roads.

Duane Schwartz, Roseville director of public works, said city crews have had to put down extra chemical mix to deal with the problem. The problem was created when the heavy snowfall fell on to the warm road pavement and then rapidly falling temperatures resulted in the compacted snow turning into ice.

"The snow bonded to the pavement" of more heavily-traveled streets, he said. "Once that happens, it is difficult to get it (the snow) off the roads. But we are committed getting (the roads) back to safe driving conditions."

Schwartz said city crews could get a break on Wednesday if temperatures climb back up into the 20s and 30s.  The warmer temperatures will help melt snow and ice, he said.

On Sunday, city crews plowed Roseville streets twice, once in the morning and then again at midnight. Roseville has about 125 miles of streets under its jurisdiction.

(Original post, 4:10 p.m. Tuesday)

Two days after most of the Twin Cities area, including Roseville, received more than 10 inches of snow, traveling the roadways remained complicated in spots.

In Roseville, at least a few stretches of roads remained challenging for motorists. Those included a stretch of Lexington Avenue south of Highway 36 near the Ace Hardware store that was close to glare ice.

Roseville Patch Facebook readers also reported that cars slid through the f.....0our-way stop this morning at Roselawn and Hamline avenues. Here's what others said:

"I slid through the same intersection (Roselawn & Hamline). Fortunately, no one else was coming! Travelling westbound on County B between Dale and Victoria was difficult yesterday and today. There is a big, very slippery hill (just in front of Parkview Center School)."

"Need more salt and sand everywhere in Roseville. My neighbor that has lived here for 40+ years, said that it's never been this bad here before."

"I live off of Cty Rd C, between Dale and Victoria. C was backed up all the way to Rice street this morning. My son's bus never came because it couldn't make it up the hill on Cty Rd C east of Victoria. Cars were sliding down the hill on Dale street south of C near the WRC. There were several cars in an accident on Dale street just south of 36. The hill on B near Parkview was also an issue, cars were sliding down. I also saw a woman slide through the intersection of Roselawn and Hamline. That is always a trouble intersection during snowy weather. I've slid through a few times in the past."

The Minnesota Department of Transportation addressed the road conditions in a Dec. 11, 2012 statement on the Minnesota Department of Transportation Facebook page: 

MnDOT continues addressing the compacted snow and icy conditions on highways and interstates—particularly in southwestern/west central Minnesota and the Twin Cities Metro area. The cold temperatures are complicating our work, because salt becomes much less effective at 10 degrees or lower. Temps will warm over the next couple days, which will make the salt compounds we’ve been putting on the roads MUCH more effective.

County roads and city streets are having the same issue, and those public works departments are working just as hard as MnDOT to get your commutes back to good winter driving condition as quickly as possible.

In the meantime, plow drivers are out there doing everything they can to get rid of that compacted snow before your afternoon commute.

We all will be happy to see the sun (and higher temperatures) tomorrow.

Tuesday’s morning commute resulted several accidents throughout the Twin Cities.

"Double your expected commute and travel times," Lt. Eric Roeske of the Minnesota State Patrol told Patch, "and expect icy patches and slippery spots."

What roadways are you avoiding? Share your tips in comments!