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Icy road conditions cause vehicles to slowly make their way along Carpenter Road Wednesday, Jan. 08, 2014 in Milan.

(Patrick Record | The Ann Arbor News)

Commuters reported Wednesday that roads and highways around Ann Arbor appeared to be the iciest they have been in the past three days after a major snowstorm unloaded nearly a foot of snow on the area Sunday.

Crews haven’t been able to use salt on the roads because temperatures have been below 10 to 15 degrees — when salt stops being effective. Any melting snow on the road would also immediately freeze in the subzero temperatures.

Sand has been used Monday and Tuesday in some spots for traction— but highway exit and entrance ramps remain problem areas as ice and snow has bonded to the road.

Ypsilanti resident Mark Truna got on I-94 at Whittaker Road about 8 a.m. Wednesday and drove west to the State Street exit in Ann Arbor to drop his wife off at work.

“I have to admit, it was a bit nerve-wracking being on I-94 west. We were driving on a layer of ice for most of the commute, and we rarely exceeded speeds of 30 plus mph,” Truna said in an email to the Ann Arbor News. “Fortunately, everyone on the roads seemed to be driving responsibly.”

Throughout the past three days, reports of traffic crashes and road hazards to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Office are up 62 percent.

Southbound U.S. 23 near Arkona Road in Milan Monday.

Officials say the ice will remain on roads until the weather warms enough: likely Thursday or Friday.

Washtenaw County’s Road Commission, which is responsible for clearing U.S. 23, I-94 and M-14, doesn’t have the room in its $2.5 million winter budget to buy chemical mixes that other road crews in southeast Michigan have used on some highways.

U.S. 23, Interstate 94 and M-14 still have large patches of ice that has packed on to the highway surface—causing slippery conditions because of the severe cold, according to a Michigan State Police official.

"There's nothing we can do until it's warmed up: (the ice) is bonded to the pavement

you can't scrape it off with your blade or use chemicals or salt," said Roy Townsend, managing director of the Washtenaw County Road Commission.

When the storm hit Sunday, the city of Ann Arbor and the Washtenaw County Road Commission had full snow plow crews deployed during the day Sunday and Monday. The rate of snowfall meant that the plow’s work was often covered up soon after the plow had passed and the snowpack has turned into ice.

Ryan Holdsworth of Ann Arbor has a 50-mile commute each morning to Warren. This week, it’s taken about an hour and 15 minutes for him to get to work. He said drivers need to be more aware of the conditions—and that he’s seen several accidents that could have been easily avoided.

“M-14 has been the worst road I have experienced and that is because of the open terrain; the wind blows across the street and there are parts that seem to be glare ice,” Holdsworth said. “Had some whiteout conditions on my way home on Monday because of strong winds.”

Cold temperatures and icy road conditions on Carpenter Road near Willis Road in York Township on Wednesday, Jan. 8, 2014.

Spreading salt in the extreme cold would have been a big loss for the Road Commission, Townsend said, stating: “You’re just throwing dollar bills out the back.”

U.S. 23 south of Ann Arbor has reportedly been one of the icier highways in Washtenaw County this week. The Road Commission has two plows dedicated to clearing U.S. 23.

Greg Gierke, who lives in Macon, takes U.S. 23 from Willis Road to M-14 every day to to the Ford plant in Livonia, where he works.

“I don’t want to say I’m upset (about the road conditions),” Gierke said. “I have no complaints: the temperatures are extreme right now.”

U.S. 23 was icy enough Tuesday and Wednesday morning that Gierke had to drive 30 mph in his Ford Escape until he reached Ann Arbor, where he said U.S. 23 was clear of ice.

“We’re not going to give up on it. We’re not going to stop until we get these roads back to bare pavement conditions,” said Jim Harmon, director of operations for the Road Commission. “We’re just advising motorists to reduce speeds and really pay close attention to pavement conditions. It’s going to take a while to get back to where we need to be, but we’re not stopping.”

Commuters in the area were empathetic to the effect the cold temperatures had on the ability of plows to clear the ice.

“I feel like the road crews are doing a fine job, especially considering that salt is ineffective when temperatures get too cold. I am however frustrated with the fact that we live in a society that values sales and business over the safety of the community,” Truna said. “There's no reason why some businesses need to stay open.”

The Road Commission started spreading a mix of sand and salt Wednesday to try to break up the ice. Rising temperatures and the sunshine may help melt some ice Wednesday, Harmon said.

However, road crews are looking ahead to the possibility of freezing rain Thursday night through Saturday.

Amy Biolchini is the K-12 education reporter for The Ann Arbor News. Reach her at amybiolchini@mlive.com, (734) 623-2552 or on Twitter. Find all Washtenaw County K-12 education stories on MLive.com.