The scene where a snow plow jack-knifed in the westbound lanes of 401 Monday morning near Shannonville. The scene has since cleared. (Photo: Twitter @corrierego)
UPDATE: 9:20 P.M.: OPP report the collision on Highway 37 between Highway 37 & 41 in Tweed is now cleared and the roadway is open again. Highway 401 westbound approaching Big Apple Drive in Brighton reopened around 7 p.m.
A freezing rain warning has ended for the Quinte region and surrounding areas.
However OPP are still advising motorists to stay home unless absolutely necessary, for safety reasons, as emergency response crews continue to scramble to assist with multiple collisions Monday afternoon.
Highway 401, heading both east and west, is extremely slippery and continues to pose dangerous driving conditions with numerous collisions occurring throughout the day.
Several motor vehicle collisions have been reported on Highway 401 in the Brighton area (exit 509). The eastbound lanes are open however, moving slowly. All westbound lanes of Highway 401 at exit 509 are closed to traffic due to two tractor trailers that earlier slid off the roadway. One remains in the ditch upside down and the other is blocking all westbound lanes.
Motorists are encouraged to exit at County Road 40.
Police say sanders are having difficulty getting to the affected areas on the highway. Motorists are asked to stay off the roadways until conditions change.
Northumberland County OPP is asking motorists to alter travel plans due to freezing rain occurring in particular along Hwy 401 from Cobourg east to the Brighton area. Two tractor trailers slid sideways at exit 509 in Brighton causing a diesel spill. One truck has dumped its load on the highway. Officers are describing road conditions as glare ice. Efforts are ongoing to keep traffic moving along the highway as the secondary roads are also glare ice.
At 2 p.m. Highway 7, between Highways 37 and 41, was closed following a three vehicle crash. There is no update on when it will reopen. Reports from the scene indicate one person was taken to the hospital with undisclosed injuries.
Meanwhile, an earlier collision in the westbound lanes approaching Shannonville has been cleared and that stretch of highway is open again.
OPP are reporting multiple vehicles in the ditch at County Road 28 and Highway 62 in Rossmore in Prince Edward County.
Just before 12 p.m. there were reports of a single vehicle collision at Brundage and Stockdale Roads in Trenton. Reports from the scene indicated the vehicle was on its side in the ditch with someone trapped inside.
At 12:15 p.m. emergency response crews were called to the scene of a snowmobile collision in a field on Harmony Road in Corbyville. Details are still few but reports from the scene indicate one person was injured and is on route to hospital.
