Freezing rain, "horrible" roads & a "warm-layer sandwich"

Also: Now (finally) approaching: the Green Line extension; 12 Olympians from Mass. [Donate ❤️]( [View in Browser](  February 4, 2022 🌧️ Rain followed by freezing rain or sleet, as temperatures drop into the mid-to-low 20s by the afternoon. Good Morning Boston, Happy Friday! Is it weird that we’re feeling excited about [taking a future trip on the Green Line]( on this gross weather morning? - Stay off the roads if you can today; it's [going to be a mess out there](. A winter storm will drop an icy mix of rain, freezing rain and sleet across Massachusetts, and temperatures will fall below freezing by about 8 a.m. around the Mass. Pike., meaning there’s potential for a flash freeze. That means very slippery roads. - Sand and other ways to treat the roads will fix that, right? Not quite. State Highway Administrator Jonathan Gulliver told WBUR that crews haven't been able to pre-treat roads because of last night’s rain (it would have just washed it all away). The change from freezing rain to sleet will also be key when it comes to road treatment. Meteorologist Dave Epstein explains: “Freezing rain encapsulates the melting products, rendering them somewhat ineffective but sand, salt and calcium can go on top of the sleet, keeping roadways safer.” - Please be safe out there and review these [tips for driving on black ice]( if you do have to venture out. - The weather has already prompted [many school districts — including Boston and Worcester — to close today](. Gov. Charlie Baker has ordered non-essential state workers to stay home. He released a statement calling the driving conditions "horrible." - Go deeper: Epstein explains the "[warm-layer sandwich]( that is causing this mix of freezing rain and sleet. - Our advice: With a cold weekend ahead, you may want to shovel the slop today. Otherwise, you'll basically have to wait until next week. Our friends over at Grist pulled together this [helpful guide on eco-friendly ice melt, too.]( - Massachusetts is getting nearly $10 million from last year's federal infrastructure bill, and the Baker administration revealed Thursday how they plan to spend all that money: - $5.4 billion for roads and bridges. - $2.2 billion for the MBTA. - $591 million for other regional transit agencies. - $1.4 billion for other infrastructure projects. - Officials are also planning to bid for some of the $110 billion available to all 50 states for other big projects, like [replacing the Cape Cod bridges]( or [the Allston I-90 megaproject](. - WBUR's Darryl Murphy has [more on the state's plans](. - Speaking of federal funding, Baker has the $101 million COVID spending plan on his desk. It was [approved yesterday by the state House and Senate]( meaning Baker now has 10 days to review the bill. - A quirky little addition: Beyond investing in rapid testing, high-quality masks and vaccination equity, the bill also schedules the statewide primary election for Sept. 6. Mark your calendars! - Worcester officials say only one city worker has been fired for not complying with the city’s vaccine mandate. Worcester’s rule is a little different than Boston's vaccine mandate for city workers in that it still allows employees to opt into weekly testing if they are not vaccinated against COVID-19. - By the numbers: Our COVID numbers statewide are still trending in the right direction. The seven-day average positive test rate is below 6%. That’s the lowest it’s been since December. We’re averaging about 3,100 new cases per day. And the [levels of COVID in wastewater in Boston]( are also continuing to decline, too. - COVID cases in schools are following a similar trend. New education data released from the state show a 45% drop in cases compared to the week prior. P.S.— Do you know which former Boston city councilor is running for Massachusetts attorney general? Then take [our Boston News Quiz]( and test your knowledge of the local stories we covered this week. Nik DeCosta-Klipa Editor, Newsletters [Follow]( Meagan McGinnes Senior Editor, Newsletters [Follow](  Support the news  The Rundown [Here's what a ride on the Green Line Extension will be like. Take yours in March, T says]( The first portion of the most significant MBTA expansion project in decades is roughly one month away from welcoming riders aboard. Here's a sneak peak. [Read more.]( [Here's what a ride on the Green Line Extension will be like. Take yours in March, T says]( The first portion of the most significant MBTA expansion project in decades is roughly one month away from welcoming riders aboard. Here's a sneak peak. [Read more.]( [Berklee refused to raise musicians' pay for years. So this worker quit]( Adam Gautille quit his gig organizing recording sessions at Berklee after the school refused to raise session musician rates to union standards. [Read more.]( [Berklee refused to raise musicians' pay for years. So this worker quit]( Adam Gautille quit his gig organizing recording sessions at Berklee after the school refused to raise session musician rates to union standards. [Read more.]( [Americans get sicker as omicron stalls everything from heart surgeries to cancer care]( Slammed by COVID-19, many U.S. hospitals have put off "elective" procedures. But the delays are leading to consequences like heart attacks and other life-threatening complications. [Read more.]( [Americans get sicker as omicron stalls everything from heart surgeries to cancer care]( Slammed by COVID-19, many U.S. hospitals have put off "elective" procedures. But the delays are leading to consequences like heart attacks and other life-threatening complications. [Read more.]( [12 Massachusetts Olympians to watch in the Beijing Games]( From bobsled to ice hockey and luge to skiing, here's a look at some Olympians who call Massachusetts home. [Read more.]( [12 Massachusetts Olympians to watch in the Beijing Games]( From bobsled to ice hockey and luge to skiing, here's a look at some Olympians who call Massachusetts home. [Read more.]( [UMass researchers create new material that can store and release 'enormous' amounts of energy]( It's not "flubber," but researchers at UMass Amherst have engineered a new rubber-like substance that has "remarkable" energy qualities. [Read more.]( [UMass researchers create new material that can store and release 'enormous' amounts of energy]( It's not "flubber," but researchers at UMass Amherst have engineered a new rubber-like substance that has "remarkable" energy qualities. [Read more.]( Anything Else? - PSA: Check fraud is on the rise. Here are some [tips from NPR]( to go over what you need to know and how to avoid it. - ICYMI: Attorney General Maura Healey made her first appearance on Radio Boston as a gubernatorial candidate Thursday, outlining her priorities if elected and pledging to be the state's most "most aggressive and insightful and innovative governor." Check out [the highlights of the interview](. - Alicia Abbott has had the same $50 bill in her drawer for over 15 years. Why? [In this commentary]( Abbott explains why she can never spend it (and once had to buy it back at a movie theater). - Jacquinn Sinclair [reviews Lydia R. Diamond's stage adaption]( of Toni Morrison’s "The Bluest Eye” at the Huntington Theatre. What We're Reading 📚 - A Fight Over the Right to Repair Cars Turns Ugly ([WIRED]( - ‘It’s surreal here in the Athletes Village’ ([The Boston Globe]( - How figure skating became all about the jumps ([Vox]( Tell Me Something Good [Have a dog and a kid? A UMass Amherst professor is seeking families for a study of the benefits of pets (The Boston Globe)]( Here’s a science project your kids won’t balk at: playing with the dog. [Read more.]( [Have a dog and a kid? A UMass Amherst professor is seeking families for a study of the benefits of pets (The Boston Globe)]( Here’s a science project your kids won’t balk at: playing with the dog. [Read more.]( Before you go: [Local treasures](. 😎 Forward to a friend. They can sign up [here](. 📣 Give us your feedback: newsletters@wbur.org 📧 Get more WBUR stories sent to your inbox. [Check out all of our newsletter offerings.]( Support the news   Want to change how you receive these emails? Stop getting this newsletter by [updating your preferences.](  I don't want to hear from WBUR anymore. Unsubscribe from all WBUR editorial newsletters [here](.  Interested in learning more about corporate sponsorship? [Click here.]( Copyright © 2021 WBUR-FM, All rights reserved.