ON THE CHEAP: Dozens Of Accidents As City Gets Stingy With The Salt

So, did the neighborhood’s streets seem very slick and noticeably devoid of salt Monday?

Salt.

CTA buses, school buses, a man in a wheelchair, cars, more cars, pedestrians, and still more cars. They were all involved in dozens of traffic accidents Monday afternoon as ice-covered roads sat untreated for hours on end.

Here is a sampling:

1:44PM: As a police unit drives in to end his shift, he sees an accident at 3400 Sheffield. One vehicle is not drivable.

2:32PM: UNIT—Is Streets & San aware it’s slick out and there’s ice on the ground?

4:11PM: Traffic accident victims walk in to the 19th district station to file a report.

4:12PM: Auto accident, no injuries 16XX Barry.

4:20PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Irving and Hermitage.

4:22PM: Auto accident, with injuries. Addison and Lake Shore Drive.

4:28PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Grace and Clifton.

4:31PM: An officer witnesses a 3-vehicle crash involving a CTA bus at Broadway and Addison (not the same as the 4:22PM crash).

4:32PM: Auto accident involving a school bus, no injuries. Altgeld and Southport. Ambulance en route because there was a child on board.

4:36PM: Hit and run 6XX Grace. FedEx truck hit his car and fled.

4:37: Auto accident, no injuries. Halsted and Waveland at Whole Foods parking lot. One car is not drivable. No injuries.

4:40PM: OFFICER: “Would you please call Streets and San again? People are sliding all over the place.”

4:47PM: An officer and a CTA driver fell down on ice at the scene of an incident. “Anybody walking, they’re falling down,” the officer says. Request immediate salting.

4:54PM: Auto accident, no injuries. 39XX Bell. UPS truck vs. a car. Call came in 2 hours ago.

4:57PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Sheridan and Pine Grove. Call came in an hour ago.

4:57PM: Man in a wheelchair hit by a car at Irving Park and Western. Ambulance on the way.

5:00PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Wilson and Malden.

5:02PM: A person who claims to have been involved with the CTA bus crash at Broadway and Addison walks into the police station.

5:07PM: Officers come across a minor accident 13XX Wilson. They’ll send the parties into the station.

5;08PM: Auto accident, no injuries involving a CTA bus. Broadway at Sheridan.

5:13PM: Auto accident, no injuries. 1801 Lawrence.

5:15PM: Officers happen upon an accident at Broadway and Sunnyside. At least one vehicle not drivable.

5:19PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Henderson and Paulina.

5:19PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Melrose and Lincoln.

5:19PM: Auto accident, school bus vs. vehicle. No injuries. Damen and Montrose.

5:21PM: Sergeant: “Are Streets and San going to send some trucks up to do some salting?”

5:23PM: UNIT: “Sheet of ice. Let Streets and San know we definitely need salt here. 20XX Montrose. Roll an ambulance.” Person on bus claims neck injuries.

5:24PM: UNIT: “It’s a miracle! I’ve spotted a salt truck on Sheridan!”

5:27PM: Auto accident, no injuries. 30XX Lincoln. One driver refuses to exchange info.

5:44PM: Auto accident with injuries. Addison and Western.

5:48PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Broadway and Buena.

5:49PM: Auto accident. Racine and Leland.

5:50PM: Auto accident, no injuries. Barry and Greenview.

6:01PM: Auto accident, property damage. Sheffield and Addison.

6:10PM: Officer encounters an accident at Broadway and Sheridan.

6:14PM: Hit and run, 19XX Cornelia.

6:16PM: Officer says the 6:10PM accident is resolved, but a 3-car accident just took place across the street. He’ll be over there. Can another unit bring him some blank traffic accident reports? He has run out.

6:17PM: Unit 1913 will take some reports to him.

6:22PM: Unit 1913 got waved down to handle an auto accident at 39XX Clark. They’ll deliver those blank reports when they’re done.

6:34PM: Auto accident, property damage. Lincoln and Wellington…..

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CWBChicago was created in 2013 by five residents of Wrigleyville and Boystown who had grown disheartened with inaccurate information that was being provided at local Community Policing (CAPS) meetings. Our coverage area has expanded since then to cover Lincoln Park, River North, The Loop, Uptown, and other North Side Areas. But our mission remains unchanged: To provide original public safety reporting with better context and greater detail than mainstream media outlets. Our editorial email address is news@cwbchicago.com