NASHVILLE, Tenn. -
Metro Nashville road crews have experienced an easy winter so far, but the break may be over.
Below freezing temperatures Friday night and into Saturday morning created a layer of ice on Nashville-area interstate highways, causing dozens of accidents that resulted in at least seven injuries.
Interstate 40 at Charlotte Pike was closed for about seven hours after a tractor-trailer flipped onto its side. Deanna Lambert of TDOT said the gas tank ruptured in the truck, causing longer than expected delays to clear. No one was seriously injured.
On the east side of Nashville, police closed the westbound lanes of Interstate 40 near Stewarts Ferry Pike after four cars were involved in an accident.
One person was transported by life-flight from the scene to Vanderbilt University Medical Center with life-threatening injuries.
"If you don't have to be out on the road, certainly stay home this morning if you can and just let these crews be able to work this morning," said Lambert Saturday morning.
"[TDOT's] crews have been out all night all over Middle Tennessee checking the slick and icy spots," said Lambert.
Capt. Ken Walburn of Metro police advised drivers to slow down and use caution. Walburn emphasized the importance of leaving early to give enough time to arrive safely. Bridges and overpasses will require caution as they freeze faster, he said.
Lambert said the areas near Percy Priest Lake presented a greater problem because of mist coming from the lake.
The cold weather didn't stop runners from hitting the pavement for the Cupid's Chase 5K at Shelby Park.
"I made a new year's resolution to do a race every month and I've been trying to pick races that give back and yes, it is freezing," said runner Jill McAfee. "I was actually surprised at how many people actually got up and came down here and had not registered. They came down here even on a cold morning."
A couple hundred runners in all participated.
