Gov. Tom Wolf is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel and encouraging employers to offer telework options if possible, as winter weather conditions are expected to worsen Monday.
“As this winter storm continues, the best plan of action is to stay home,” Gov. Wolf said. “If you are required to travel, have all the proper safety precautions in place and stay alert for rapidly changing conditions.”
Vehicle restrictions are currently in place on several Pennsylvania interstates that align with Tier 1 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan, and the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation anticipates that additional restrictions will be added as conditions warrant. It is possible that a Tier 4 restriction could be enacted in the Harrisburg, Lehigh Valley and Pocono regions. Under a Tier 4 restriction, no commercial vehicles are permitted.
Strong wind and blowing/drifting snow are expected with this storm and reduced visibility is expected in some areas. Motorists always should be alert for sudden white-out conditions during the storm, virtually eliminating a driver’s visibility.
If travel is necessary, 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.
Motorists are reminded that roadways will not be free of snow while precipitation is falling. 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 without warning.
If you must travel, slow down and increase your following distance. Most collisions in snowy and icy conditions are the result of driving too fast for the conditions or following too closely. Four-wheel drive may help with driving in the snow, but it does nothing to help with stopping, so leave plenty of room. And remember, speed limits are designed for ideal conditions. Drivers can be cited for driving too fast for the conditions, even below the speed limit.