Gov. Rick Snyder is asking people to stay home if possible for the duration of the cold snap that’s plunged to near-record cold temperatures.
“Stay inside as much as you can. Stay warm,” he said, adding that people who do venture onto the roads should go very slowly.
“In particular, when you’re going out there on the road, if you’re on one of our highways or freeways, really slow down on the ramps,” Snyder said. “That’s where we’re seeing a large number of the incidents really happen is people are really getting on the ramps and going at excessive speeds. Even though they may think they’re going slowly, go even slower, please.”
The state Department of Transportation says at least 2,500 snow plows have been deployed to clear highways and local roads. Almost every school in the state is expected to be closed for a second day so children are not subjected to below-zero wind chill.
Shiawassee and Cass counties have declared states of emergency because of the cold.