WASHINGTON – A difference of two or three degrees made the morning commute uglier than normal in Maryland, stretching it out longer than normal.

“Temperatures dropped a couple of degrees right around 5 or 5:30 this morning we started to get some icy, slick spots,” says Dave Buck, Maryland State Highway Administration spokesman.

Bridges and overpasses glazed over, causing a number of accidents, including cars sliding into guardrails.

Many of the problems occurred in northern Anne Arundel County.

Justin Mulcahy, a spokesman for the Anne Arundel County Police Department, says 60 crashes were reported between 6 a.m. and 8 a.m. Wednesday

In Maryland, WTOP Traffic Reporter Jack Taylor said the problems on the Capital Beltway extended from the American Legion Bridge to the Woodrow Wilson Bridge. Virginia’s beltway was unaffected.

Parts of Md. 355 and U.S. 29 shut down because of accidents and so highway crews could sand.

Problems also were reported on the Memorial Bridge in D.C.