Automobile restrictions deliberate in a single day and Thursday
Harrisburg, PA – Forward of icy and snowy circumstances, chilly temperatures and excessive winds throughout a lot of the state tonight and tomorrow, the Pennsylvania Division of Transportation and Pennsylvania Turnpike Fee are advising motorists to keep away from pointless journey throughout the storm.
Moreover, the companies will implement numerous pace and automobile restrictions all through the storm.
As a result of this storm will start as sleet and freezing rain in a single day Wednesday into Thursday, PennDOT and PTC crews are actively pre-treating roadways the place obligatory forward of the storm to assist stop ice from forming a bond with the pavement throughout the early phases of a storm.
Nevertheless, salt just isn’t a silver bullet, and drivers could encounter icy spots on the roadway. With freezing temperatures, roads that look moist may very well be icy, and further warning is required when approaching bridges and freeway ramps the place ice can type with out warning.
Restrictions will probably be communicated through variable message boards, the 511PA traveler data Website online and smartphone apps. Motorists can even join personalised alerts on the Website online.
The next automobile restrictions will go into place at 1 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in accordance with the commonwealth’s climate occasion automobile restriction plan:
- I-79 from PA Turnpike (I-76) to I-80;
- I-80 from I-79 to Exit 173 (Lamar); and
- I-70 from Maryland to PA Turnpike (I-76) in Fulton County.
- PA Turnpike (I-76) from the New Stanton to Breezewood exits; and
The next automobile restrictions will go into place at 6 a.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in accordance with the commonwealth’s climate occasion automobile restriction plan:
- I-81 from the Maryland border to I-80;
The next automobile restrictions will go into place at 12 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, in accordance with the commonwealth’s climate occasion automobile restriction plan:
- I-81 from I-380 to the New York border;
- I-476 (PA Turnpike Northeast Extension) from I-78 to I-81 Clarks Summit Exit 56-131
Underneath Tier 1 restrictions, the next automobiles are not permitted on affected roadways:
- trailers;
- trailers;
- Tractors towing unloaded or flippantly loaded tandem trailers;
- Enclosed unloaded or flippantly loaded cargo supply vehicles/field vehicles that meet the definition of a CMV;
- Passenger automobiles (vehicles, SUV’s, pickup vehicles, and so on.) towing trailers;
- Leisure automobiles/motorhomes;
- Faculty buses, industrial buses and motor coaches; and
- bikes.
On roadways with Tier 2 restrictions in place, tractors towing loaded tandem trailers are usually not permitted until there are chains or one other authorized Alternate Traction Gadget on board.
Moreover, all college buses, industrial buses, motor coaches, bikes, RVs/motorhomes and passenger automobiles (vehicles, SUVs, pickup vehicles, and so on.) towing trailers are usually not permitted on affected roadways whereas restrictions are in place.
On roadways with Tier 3 restrictions in place, no industrial automobiles are permitted besides loaded single trailers with chains or authorized Alternate Traction Gadgets.
Moreover, all college buses, industrial buses, motor coaches, bikes, RVs/motorhomes and passenger automobiles (vehicles, SUVs, pickup vehicles, and so on.) towing trailers are usually not permitted on affected roadways whereas restrictions are in place.
PennDOT urges motorists to keep away from journey if potential. If journey is important, use warning, scale back speeds and concentrate on altering climate circumstances.
To assist make choices relating to winter journey, motorists are inspired to “Know Earlier than You Go” by checking circumstances on greater than 40,000 roadway miles, together with color-coded winter circumstances on 2,900 miles, by visiting www.511PA.com.
511PA, which is free and obtainable 24 hours a day, supplies site visitors delay warnings, climate forecasts, site visitors pace data and entry to greater than 1,000 site visitors cameras.
Customers can even see plow truck statuses and journey alerts alongside a particular route utilizing the “Verify My Route” device.
511PA can be obtainable by means of a smartphone software for iPhone and Android gadgets, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts.
Drivers ought to put together or restock their emergency kits with gadgets similar to non-perishable meals, water, first-aid provides, heat garments, a blanket, cellular phone charger and a small snow shovel.
Motorists ought to tailor their kits to any particular wants that they or their households have similar to child provides, additional medicine and pet provides.
When winter climate happens, drivers ought to additional cautious round working snow-removal tools. When encountering a plow truck, drivers ought to:
- Keep at the least six automotive lengths behind an working plow truck and keep in mind that the principle plow is wider than the truck.
- Be alert since plow vehicles usually journey rather more slowly than different site visitors.
- When a plow truck is touring towards you, transfer as distant from the middle of the highway as is safely potential, and keep in mind that snow can obscure the precise snow plow width.
- By no means attempt to go or get between a number of vehicles plowing facet by facet in a “plow prepare.” The burden of the snow thrown from the plow can rapidly trigger smaller automobiles to lose management, making a hazard for close by automobiles.
- By no means journey subsequent to a plow truck since there are blind spots the place the operator can’t see, and so they can sometimes be moved sideways when hitting drifts or heavy snowpack.
- Maintain your lights on to assist the operator higher see your automobile. Additionally keep in mind that underneath Pennsylvania state legislation, automobile lights should be on each time a automobile’s wipers are on resulting from inclement climate.
Final winter in Pennsylvania, preliminary statewide information exhibits that there have been 266 crashes leading to two fatalities and 116 accidents on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways the place aggressive-driving behaviors similar to rushing or making careless lane modifications have been components.
Motorists are reminded the legislation requires drivers to take away amassed ice or snow from their automobile, together with the hood, trunk, and roof inside 24 hours after the storm has ended.
This is applicable to all automobiles, together with industrial automobiles. Drivers in violation of the legislation are topic to a fantastic of $50.
Moreover, motorists will be cited as much as $1,500 if snow or ice is dislodged and strikes one other automobile or pedestrian inflicting demise or critical damage.
For extra data on protected winter journey, an emergency package guidelines and knowledge on PennDOT’s winter operations together with a video, go to www.PennDOT.gov/winter. Extra winter driving and different freeway security data is on the market at www.PennDOT.gov/security.
Comply with the dialog by utilizing #PAWinter on Twitter and just like the division on Fb and Instagram.
