PennDOT and PA Turnpike plan vehicle restrictions in response to winter weather Thursday

Motorists Urged to Avoid Travel if Possible

HARRISBURG– In response to winter weather throughout much of the state on Thursday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) are planning to implement travel restrictions on trucks and other vehicles on certain roadways. Additional speed and vehicle restrictions on these and other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions. Motorists are encouraged to avoid unnecessary travel if possible.

Effective at 1 a.m. on Thursday, February 18, vehicle restrictions are planned for the following roadways at Tier 1 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan:

• Interstate 70 from the Maryland border to the PA Turnpike;
• PA Turnpike I-76 (Mainline) in both directions from Cranberry (Exit 161) to Valley Forge (Exit 326);
• PA Turnpike 66 (Greensburg Bypass) from Route 119/Interstate 70 to Route 22/Blairsville;
• Interstate 81 from the Maryland border to Interstate 78;
• The entire length of Interstate 83;
• The entire length of Interstate 99; and
• The entire length of Interstate 283.

Effective at 4 a.m. on Thursday, February 18, Tier 1 restrictions are planned for the following additional roadways:

• Route 22 from Interstate 78 to the New Jersey border;
• The entire length of Route 33;
• PA Turnpike I-76 and I-276 (mainline) in both directions from Valley Forge (Exit 326) to the I-95 connector.
• The entire length of Interstate 78;
• Interstate 80 from Interstate 99 to the New Jersey border;
• Interstate 81 from Interstate 78 to Interstate 84;
• The entire length of Interstate 84;
• The entire length of Interstate 176;
• The entire length of Interstate 380; and
• PA Turnpike I-476 (Northeastern Extension) from Mid County exit (Exit 20) to Clarks Summit (Exit 131).

Under Tier 1 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways:

• Tractors without trailers;
• Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers;
• Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers;
• Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV;
• Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers;
• Recreational vehicles/motorhomes;
• School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches not carrying chains or Alternate Traction Devices (ATD’s); and
• Motorcycles.

Restrictions will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website at www.511pa.comand smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for alerts on www.511pa.comby clicking on “Personal Alerts” in the left-hand menu.

PennDOT urges motorists to avoid travel during the storm if possible. But if travel is necessary, use caution, reduce speeds and be aware of changing weather conditions. Freezing temperatures are expected during this event, so motorists should be aware of blowing and drifting snow, which can cause icy areas on roadways, including overpasses and bridges. With freezing temperatures, roads that only look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form without warning.

To help make decisions regarding winter travel, motorists are encouraged to "Know Before You Go" by checking conditions on more than 40,000 roadway miles, including color-coded winter conditions on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com. 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 1,000 traffic cameras. Users can also see plow truck statuses and travel alerts along a specific route using the "Check My Route" tool.

511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.

Drivers should prepare or restock their emergency kits with items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel. Motorists should tailor their kits to any specific needs that they or their families have such as baby supplies, extra medication and pet supplies.

When winter weather occurs, drivers should extra cautious around operating snow-removal equipment. When encountering a plow truck, drivers should:

• Stay at least six car lengths behind an operating plow truck and remember that the main plow is wider than the truck.
• Be alert since plow trucks generally travel much more slowly than other traffic.
• When a plow truck is traveling toward you, move as far away from the center of the road as is safely possible, and remember that snow can obscure the actual snow plow width.
• Never try to pass or get between several trucks plowing side by side in a "plow train." The weight of the snow thrown from the plow can quickly cause smaller vehicles to lose control, creating a hazard for nearby vehicles.
• Never travel next to a plow truck since there are blind spots where the operator can't see, and they can occasionally be moved sideways when hitting drifts or heavy snowpack.
• Keep your lights on to help the operator better see your vehicle. Also remember that under Pennsylvania state law, vehicle lights must be on every time a vehicle's wipers are on due to inclement weather.

Last winter in Pennsylvania, preliminary data shows that there were 151 crashes resulting in three fatalities and 81 injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways where aggressive driving behaviors such as speeding or making careless lane changes were factors.

For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations including a video, visit www.PennDOT.gov/winter. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available at www.PennDOT.gov/safety.

Follow the conversation by using #PAWinter on Twitter at www.twitter.com/PennDOTNews and visit the department on Facebook at www.facebook.com/PennsylvaniaDepartmentofTransportation.