A couple of weather-related traffic accidents this morning shut down a large portion of the U.S.-131 expressway north of Wayland.

Officials have reported accidents near 100th Street and between the 135th Avenue (Wayland) and 142nd Avenue (Dorr) exits. The highway was snow covered and slippery Friday morning.

Allegan County Sheriff’s authorities said a semi-truck  on southbound jackknifed near the Wayland exit (No. 68) at about 10 a.m. Friday and three vehicles then crashed into the semi.

Sheriff Frank Baker indicated that initial reports are of only minor injuries.

Most traffic was re-routed onto 10th Street, also known as old 131 or Division Avenue in northern Allegan and southern Kent counties, and vehicles were backed up as far south as Dahlia Street in Wayland.

One motorist, Mary Morgenstern Iciek, quipped, “Division was like a slow moving parade and nobody was throwing candy!”

Authorities said that the expressway was reopened to traffic around 1 p.m.

(Photo courtesy of Melissa Ernst Stoneburner)