NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC (WBTW) – North Myrtle Beach officials say a portion of Old Highway 17 is too dangerous for driving Thursday morning.

According to a Nixel alert sent out by city officials, Old Highway 17 is closed between North Myrtle Pointe Boulevard and Sea Mountain Highway until further notice. Wednesday nights sleet and snow, combined with continuous freezing temperatures, has created hazardous driving conditions.

North Myrtle Beach officials say while other roads and bridges are open, driving is not advised. If you don’t have to be out and about today, it’s best to stay home, rescue crews advise.

Other problem roads noted by officials include Ocean Boulevard in Myrtle Beach, which is covered with a sheet of ice. In addition to Highway 151 in Hartsville, which is also covered in ice.

The Florence Police Department is asking drivers to stay off all roads if possible, as many are still covered in snow.

South Carolina Highway Patrol is working more than 20 accidents in the Grand Strand and Pee Dee, with about a dozen of those in Horry County.

Shannon Welch with South Carolina Department of Transportation says crews are treating all primary roads with salt Thursday morning, with a concentration on Hwy 501, Hwy 17 and Bypass 17, SC 31, SC 22, Hwy 701, and Hwy 544.

SCDOT crews are not working on secondary roads Thursday morning, Welch adds, which makes it extremely dangerous for many residents to leave their home. Driving is not advised unless absolutely necessary.

Welch says SCDOT crews are also checking the temperature of bridges and roads every three hours to adjust road treatment as needed and crews will continue to do that into Thursday night.

Crews from Myrtle Beach Public Works are putting sand out on roads and sidewalks.

SCDOT officials say a potential problem they will monitor is the possible refreezing of melting ice when the sun goes down. There is a potential for black ice in the event that melted snow freezes, which could create a challenging and dangerous evening commute.

Welch says if you don’t have to be on the roads, don’t.