PennDOT Outlines Winter Preparations for Five-County Region

INDIANA, Pa. (EYT) — With the winter season approaching, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 10 is detailing its winter services for Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson counties. The agency is also reminding motorists of safe winter driving practices and highlighting online resources, according to a PennDOT release.

PennDOT states District 10 includes 7,006 snow lane miles. The district has 166 plow trucks, 41 loaders, 10 graders, and 19 anti-icing trucks available.

Six Variable Speed Limit Signs are in service along I-80 in Clarion and Jefferson counties. These signs are near the Emlenton, North Fork, and Kyle Lake Bridges. The signs display the normal speed limit unless weather conditions require slower speeds. PennDOT notes that flashing yellow lights on the signs will alert motorists to a reduced speed limit.

PennDOT actively monitors weather reports and ground conditions to plan storm treatments. Treatments may include salt brine, anti-skid, salt, or a combination of materials. The choice depends on temperature, precipitation type, and traffic volume.

Salt brine is salt mixed with water, used for anti-icing. Anti-skid is crushed limestone used for traction, according to PennDOT. Salt is most effective above 25 degrees. Salt is the primary material on high-traffic roads. On lower-volume roads, the amount of salt is reduced and anti-skid is used.

Roads will not be treated before a storm if the storm is predicted to start as rain, as it will wash the material away. Treatment also may not occur if salt residue remains from previous storms.

PennDOT cautions that roads will not be free of snow while precipitation is falling. Drivers should be cautious, as roads that look wet may be icy. Bridges and highway ramps require extra caution.

“Our primary goal is always the safety of our motorists and our staff,” said Tina Gibbs, Community Relations Coordinator. “We will be ready for winter weather and encourage motorists to prepare themselves and their vehicles as well. We work hard to keep roadways passable and safe, please help us keep roadways safe by using good winter driving practices so everyone gets to where they need to safely.”

PennDOT reminded motorists of 10 winter driving tips:

1. Turn on your low beams, even during the daytime to make your vehicle more visible to other motorists.
2. Turn off the cruise control on snow covered, wet, or icy roads. Cruise control provides constant power to your wheels. In a situation where your wheels are spinning on wet, icy, or snow-covered roadways, you need to reduce power to regain control.
3. If the road looks wet but there is no splash coming from the car’s tires ahead of you, it may be ice.
4. On packed snow, decrease your speed by half. On ice, slow your vehicle to a crawl. In both scenarios, motorists should leave more space than normal between you and the vehicle ahead.
5. Clear your vehicle of snow and ice before starting to drive including the windows, hood, trunk, roof, headlights, taillights, and signals.
6. Always wear your seatbelt.
7. Stock your vehicles with a windshield brush/scraper, food, water, warm clothes, blankets, cell phone charger, a small snow shovel, and any specific needs such as baby supplies, medication, and pet supplies.
8. If you don’t have to travel, stay home.
9. If you do have to travel, be patient with other motorists and the snowplows. If snow is falling at one inch per hour and a plow route takes four hours to complete, there will be four new inches of snow on the roadway at the starting point once the plow begins their next pass on that route. Motorists should always allow plenty of space when driving near plow trucks. Also, for their own safety and the safety of plow operators, motorists should never attempt to pass a truck while it is plowing or spreading winter materials.
10. “Know Before You Go” by checking major roadway conditions at www.511PA.com.

More information about how to prepare for any type of emergency, including free downloadable checklists, is available on the Ready PA webpage.

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