Report on February 2008 Storm Response - Wisconsin Emergency ...

A state trooper arrives at milepost 155 southbound at 12:26 p.m. and observes a
jackknifed camper on the northbound side and total lane blockage of northbound
traffic. He continues southbound to the next crossover which was impassable, then
on to the next exit and proceeded northbound until becoming stopped in traffic at
milepost 158.5.
General Mitchell International Airport decides at 1:20 p.m. the airport will close
due to low visibility.
At 1:26 p.m. a caller reports that he is stuck at mile marker 161.5 on westbound
I-90.
At 1:36 p.m. Superintendent Collins directs the State Patrol incident command
lieutenant to contact the DNR to put together “strike teams” with 4WD vehicles that
can assess the overall I-39/90/94 corridor situation.
A Madison television station calls the State Patrol at 1:42 p.m. to check the status
of I-90 and Hwy 151 because station personnel heard ramps were being shut down.
Advised that Interstate highway is not closed.
Weather conditions in Madison at 2 p.m.: Heavy snow falling at 1.3 inches per
hour, 23 degrees, north winds of 20 mph gusting to 28 mph. Total accumulated
snowfall since storm began is 9.6 inches.
A DOT employee driving home to Janesville at 2 p.m. reports there doesn’t appear
to be any traffic heading northbound on I-39/90 once he got past the U.S. Hwy
12/18 interchange.
A Madison radio station checks in with the State Patrol at 2:12 p.m. to ask about
the status of I-90 and wondering when the Interstate would be closed.
At 2:18 p.m., a Dane County 9-1-1 operator asks, “What parts of the Interstate are
shut down?” and the State Patrol replies that none were.
Between about 2:30 and 3:30 p.m., numerous callers report to Rock County that
they have been stuck in unmoving traffic near the Dane/Rock County line for an
hour or more. Subsequently, callers report being stuck for two or three hours.
At 2:44 p.m. the State Patrol lieutenant who is incident commander contacts Dane
County EM director to ask about additional plows. Dane County advises that there
were none available within Dane County or through mutual aid. The issue of
mutual aid is never brought to the attention of the State EOC.
At 3 p.m., DOT–Highways told that State EOC will close at about 5 p.m., so relief
staff will not be required at State EOC.
The DOT employee who called earlier makes 3 p.m. call to the Southwest Region
Operations Director (at home) to ask if the Interstate has been closed as he hasn’t
noticed any northbound traffic for approximately an hour.
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