PLYMOUTH — Marshall County was glazed with black ice starting at 5:30 a.m. Friday, causing virtual gridlock for vehicular traffic and making travel by foot just as treacherous.
Semi-trucks were unable to climb the U.S. 30 overpass above Michigan Street in Plymouth, causing traffic backups. Similarly, backups were reported on the North Michigan overpass above U.S. 31, on U.S. 6 and Ind. 17.
It was an icy  mess.
Travel was virtually impossible in the county this morning. In fact, a State Highway plow  reportedly slid into a ditch, indicating the severity of the road conditions. Also, two ambulances involved in non-emergency calls with no patients aboard slid off roadways.

Numerous slide-off accidents were reported between 6 and 7:30 a.m, with some involving personal injury. Rescue and law enforcement personnel encountered sheets of ice instead of roadways when responding to the accidents.
U.S. 31 northbound was blocked this morning due to accidents. Shortly before 7 a.m. a report of “several” vehicles, including semi-trucks, were involved in a mass slide-off that blocked the highway. There were no immediate reports of injuries.
Exit ramps to highways, roadway hills  and any road surface with an incline caused traffic backups and slide-offs, law enforcement officials reported.
Despite the havoc of this morning, warming temperatures throughout the day were expected to improve road and travel conditions.
According to the National Weather Service, freezing rain is likely, possibly mixed with rain until later this afternoon. Then there will be periods of drizzle. Fog is expected, mainly after 1 p.m. There is little or no ice accumulation expected, however tonight, there should be occasional showers and possibly a thunderstorm with some areas of fog. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch are expected. Saturday’s forecast shows showers and thunderstorms, with some of the storms possibly producing heavy rain, and a high near 57.