DaytonDailyNews.com

Springfield, Ohio — The snow finally stopped falling and road conditions had improved in time for what is usually rush hour, but few vehicles were expected out on the roads, due to mass closings throughout the area and hazardous road conditions that kept many people at home.

Closings aside, the city of Springfield had been running 18 to 20 trucks on the roads and operating street crews since 3 a.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27. Crews began laying salt on the roads once the snowfall began to taper off around 12:30 p.m. Earlier in the day, they hadn't bothered with salt, because the snowfall was so thick and it would be quickly covered up, according to Operations Superintendent Chris Moore.

"A lot of the main roads are water now. They've cleaned up real nice," Moore said that afternoon. "We're going to start with the residential (road) once those are done."

City crews got into residential areas on Tuesday and likely will again later this afternoon or evening, Moore said, especially during rush hour so they won't have to deal with traffic.

Moore reminded drivers to give snow plows plenty of room.

"It gets really tricky trying to fight the snow and the traffic," he said.

Clark County has about a dozen trucks out and has drivers working 12-hour shifts, said Don Boyle, county road superintendent.

The county also has called in some retired employees and school bus drivers, Boyle said.

Traffic on Interstate 70 westbound was moving again by 2 p.m.. The highway had been closed more than two hours, following a multiple-car accident in which one driver suffered minor injuries. The driver was taken to Springfield Regional Medical Center, High Street Campus, for treatment.

No other accidents have been reported as of 2:30 p.m. Wednesday.

If cars were on local streets at all, they probably belonged to pizza delivery drivers.

"They like it. More money for them," said Kelly Stevens, general manager of the Donato's on North Limestone Street.

The Donato's on North Limestone usually makes about 15 lunchtime deliveries — on Wednesday, it was closer to 50.

At the Domino's on South Limestone, business exceeded the average weekday total of $250. That Domino's already was doing $700 in business by Wednesday afternoon, said manager Mat Pingel.

Clark County Sheriff Gene Kelly will keep the Level 2 snow emergency in place until 7 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 29.

"This will give road crews time to work overnight," Kelly said in a statement. "Many roads throughout the county have deep snow and if we get any wind at all we will have drifting and roads closed."

More than five inches of new snow have fallen on the area since it began Tuesday afternoon, said local watcher Dick Groeber.

A drop in temperature is behind the storm, so expect temperatures to fall to between 5 and 10 degrees tonight, he said.

A windchill advisory is in effect for Champaign County until 6 a.m.

The heavy snow forced some area businesses to shut their doors early.

Clark County Municipal Court closed at noon today and Clark County Commission offices closed at 3 p.m.

Job and Family Services of Clark County also canceled its evening appointments for the VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) free tax preparation program.

Huntington Bank were scheduled to close its retail banking offices in Cincinnati, Northern Kentucky, Dayton and Springfield at 3 p.m.

Traditional U.S. Bank branches in the Cincinnati and Dayton were also closed because of the inclement weather.

Boyle hopes a break in the snow later today will give crews a chance to clear off as much of the snow as possible before temperatures plummet.

The colder it gets, he said, the harder it is to remove snow from the roads.

"It's been continuous snow, then freezing rain and then back to snow," Boyle said. "That's probably the worst combination there is."

Even though Clark County remains under a level 2 snow emergency, some Springfield and Clark County offices are currently open and operating on a regular schedule.

That means Clark County courts are in session and the trial of three women accused in the 2005 hit-and-run death of John Deselem continues.

The defendants — Alicia McAlmont, 25, Toneisha Gunnell, 24, and Mahogany Patterson, 23 — may take the stand today.

The sheriff's office raised the emergency alert — meaning roadways are hazardous and only those needing to drive should.

Champaign County also remains under a level 2 snow emergency that was issued about 4 a.m. Wednesday.