Ice closes Skyway

The thick, heavy ice prompted state officials to shut down four of the six lanes on the Veterans' Glass City Skyway Tuesday. The Ohio Department of Transportation closed the inner and middle lanes of the I-280 bridge in both directions, fearing that large chunks of ice could fall from the bridge's 20 stainless-steel cables onto moving vehicles.

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Doug Nims, an associate professor of civil engineering at the University of Toledo, views ice on the Veterans' Glass City ... THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Ice hanging from the cables of the I-280 Veterans' Glass City Skyway frames the Toledo skyline. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo The inside lanes of the I-280 Veterans Glass City Skyway in Toledo were closed because of ice on the bridge cables. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo A research team led by Richard Martinko of the University of Toledo Transportation Center has been studying the icing problem ... THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Four of the six lanes on the Veterans' Glass City Skyway were closed for fear that chunks of ice would fall into traffic. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Construction barrels block off the inside lanes of the I-280 Veterans' Glass City Skyway. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Doug Nims, an associate professor of civil engineering at UT, spent much of the day Tuesday on the bridge monitoring ... THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Traffic on I-280 approaching the Veterans' Glass City Skyway backs up after traffic was reduced to two lanes. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo A sign warns traffic of lane closures on the Veterans' Glass City Skyway. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY

Enlarge | Buy This Photo Traffic approaches the I-280 Veterans' Glass City Skyway in Toledo. THE BLADE/DAVE ZAPOTOSKY