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Snow is expected again this weekend. Plus freezing rain, which will effectively turn Portland into an ice rink.
To avoid another day of four-hour pileup on the freeways and five crashes an hour, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is taking new measures.
For the first time, they will require chains or other traction devices on West Burnside Street and Sam Jackson Park Road, two routes where several people abandoned their cars during last month's ice storm.
If you're traveling on West Burnside Street starting at Northwest 23rd Avenue, and Sam Jackson Park Road started at Southwest Terwilliger Boulevard, you could be charged $160 for not having chains or traction tires.
If drivers abandon their cars on these routes, they could be subject to larger fines.
The National Weather Service is urging drivers to stay at home when the weather is expected to be the worst: Saturday night and early Sunday.
"We hope there will be much less traffic out there and people will be able to stay home. It is going to be very hazardous travel. Late Saturday and early Sunday morning are going to be the worst times to be on the road," says meteorologist Jeremiah Pyle. "We're definitely suggesting that if people can stay at home to stay at home during that time because if everyone goes out and tries it's going to be disaster."
Tourist attractions at higher elevations have already announced closures. The Oregon Zoo and Hoyt Arboretum will be closed on Sunday, as will Southwest Kingston Drive, which leads to Washington Park.
Electronic message signs will alert drivers when the requirement goes into effect.
Pyle, of the National Weather Service, also says forecasters expect snow to start around midday on Saturday and to pick up in the afternoon around 3 to 4 pm. In total, he says we should expect to see 1 to 2 inches of snow accumulation before it switches over to freezing rain Saturday evening.
They don't expect it to be like the Dec. 15 #Snowpocalypse though.
"That was more of an all-snow event and that was a high impact event mainly because of the timing during a weekday evening rush hour commute. This is a little bit different because we're not expecting as much snow. It's more of a freezing rain event," he says.
He says to expect some rain on Sunday night, but due to the low temperatures, there will probably still be some slick spots on Monday morning during the commute.
Better go get your chains.
