Ahead of winter weather expected across Pennsylvania starting Friday morning, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PA Turnpike) are planning to implement vehicle restrictions across Pennsylvania’s Interstate network. The agencies are also advising motorists to watch weather forecasts, avoid unnecessary travel if possible and to exercise caution when driving.
Precipitation is expected to begin as freezing rain in the western portion of the state late Friday morning, with all of Pennsylvania seeing snow or ice by evening. The storm will begin as snow in central PA, turning to sleet and freezing rain. The eastern regions of the state will see more snow, with northeast PA receiving the most: 3 to 6 inches, with up to 8 inches in some areas. After the storm has completely moved through on Saturday morning, temperatures throughout most of the state will remain at or below freezing.
PennDOT and PA Turnpike crews will actively pre-treat roadways where necessary ahead of the storm to help prevent ice from forming a bond with the pavement during the early stages of a storm. However, salt does not resolve all risks, and drivers may encounter icy spots on the roadway. With freezing temperatures, roads that look wet may actually be icy, and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form.
Restrictions are planned for certain vehicles during the storm, and will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website and smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for personalized alerts on the website. Restrictions will be lifted as quickly as possible when conditions are safe. Restrictions can be changed based on conditions on the roadways, and reports from first responders, law enforcement and PennDOT personnel.
The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 10:00 AM on Friday, December 26, in accordance with Tier 3 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.
- Interstate 81, south of I-83.
- ALL Pennsylvania interstates west of I-81 including:
- PA Turnpike I-76
- PA Turnpike I-70
- All western PA Turnpike extensions.
The following vehicle restrictions are planned to go into effect at 2:00 PM on Friday, December 26, in accordance with Tier 3 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan.
- I-81, north of I-83.
- Route 33, entire length.
- U.S. 22 between I-78 to Route 33.
- ALL Pennsylvania interstates east of I-81 including:
- PA Turnpike I-76
- All eastern PA Turnpike extensions.
On roadways with Tier 3 restrictions in place, no commercial vehicles are permitted EXCEPT loaded single trailers with chains or approved Alternate Traction Devices. Additionally, all school buses, commercial buses, motor coaches, motorcycles, RVs/motorhomes and passenger vehicles (cars, SUVs, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers are not permitted on affected roadways while restrictions are in place.
Speed limits will be restricted to 45 mph on these roadways for all vehicles while the vehicle restrictions are in place, and commercial vehicles not affected by the restrictions must move to the right lane. Additional speed restrictions on other interstates could be added depending on changing conditions.
While avoiding or delaying unnecessary travel during winter storms is the safest choice, PennDOT offers this advice if motorists must travel and encounter snow squalls or blowing or drifting snow:
- Slow down gradually and drive at a speed that suits conditions.
- Turn on your headlights. If caught in a snow squall, turn on your hazard lights.
- Stay in your lane and increase your following distance.
- Stay alert, keep looking as far ahead as possible and be patient.
- Do not drive distracted; your full attention is required.
- Use your defroster and wipers.
- Keep windows and mirrors free of snow and ice.
- During whiteouts, come to a complete stop only when you can safely pull off the roadway.
- Do not stop in the flow of traffic since this could cause a chain-reaction collision.
- Do not pass a vehicle moving slowly or speed up to get away from a vehicle that is following too closely.
- Always buckle up and never drive impaired.
- Have an emergency kit handy. Here are some suggestions of what you could include in your emergency kit.
Last winter in Pennsylvania, preliminary data shows that there were 8,329 crashes, 29 fatalities, and 2,959 injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways. Eleven of the people who died weren’t wearing a seat belt, and 17 of the fatalities were in crashes where a driver was going too fast for conditions and drove out of their lane.
For more information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations including a video, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/winter. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available at www.PennDOT.pa.gov/safety.
Motorists can check 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 1,200 traffic cameras.
For more information on the PA Turnpike’s winter operations, visit www.paturnpike.com/news/pa-turnpike-blog.
