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MDOT is watching the road for accidents

Posted at 10:17 PM, Jan 08, 2015
and last updated 2015-01-08 22:38:29-05

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich.  --  The cold snowy night is making for some messy road conditions.

Rescue crews and agencies like MDOT are really busy.
Thursday afternoon, MDOT allowed Fox17 inside of their command center in Grand Rapids.
MDOT has about 25 monitors and nearly 60 camera capturing all the action on local highways.
We talked to spokesperson John Richard who said they have seen plenty of problems on roads Thursday, "there's been steady accidents,  with weather like this with the lake effect snow".
By Thursday afternoon, there were trouble spots along the Lake Shore. However accidents were scattered all over with their  cameras catching the accidents. "It is really beneficial to have the eye in the sky in these spots so that we can see what is closed, what took place and be in constant contact with first responders to help them out as well", says Richard.
The cameras also help drivers. If there is an accident or a slow down, MDOT can change the message board along the highway and get the information out through text or twitter. But ultimately Richard says it's the driver who can make the difference, by keeping their eyes on their speed while driving on slick roads.