SANTA FE, N.M. (KRQE) – The latest winter weather storm made for a tricky commute around several northern New Mexico communities and has already canceled school for Friday in Santa Fe.
Snow fell virtually all day in the capital city, just a few days before lawmakers are expected to return for the 2020 Legislative Session.
On I-25 between Albuquerque and Santa Fe, snow and slush began accumulating on the roads around the early afternoon, north of La Bajada. Slush on the roadway made for a tricky evening commute in the city of Santa Fe, forcing traffic to slow down.
“Don’t drive unless you have to,” said Joe Clement of Estancia, who was working in Santa Fe on Thursday before his car broke down. “It’s too easy to get off the road or to have you break down and be stuck, it’s not good.”
Thursday’s prolonged light snowfall left a few inches on the ground in Santa Fe, however, most of the main roads remained clear for travel.
As the sun set, Highway 285 north of Santa Fe became a problem spot for drivers near the Santa Fe Opera. KRQE News 13 witnessed the aftermath of a crash just outside of the city that left an SUV inoperable after its front drivers-side wheel bent perpendicular to the frame of the vehicle.
A responding Santa Fe County Sheriff’s deputy said he and his co-workers had been responding to crashes all evening. However, the deputy said he was seeing the same “standard” amount of problems that he expects with any snowstorm in the area.
Some are cautious about what Friday morning’s commute will be like.
“Seems like people are doing okay right now, but it’s going to get crazy at night once the sun goes down, for sure, and hopefully we’ll start seeing some maintenance on the roads,” said Joaquin Dudelczyk.
NMDOT snowplows continued working into the night Thursday, clearing slush from the roads and laying sand and gravel along the main roadways.
