All Motorists Urged to Avoid Unnecessary Travel

HARRISBURG, Pa., Feb. 10 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Due to a severe winter storm, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is temporarily reducing the speed limit to 45 miles per hour and restricting certain types of vehicles on all interstates and expressways statewide.

PennDOT also urges motorists to not travel unless absolutely necessary. 

In conjunction with similar restrictions imposed on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, PennDOT is restricting the following vehicle types:

• Class 9 vehicles (overweight and over-dimensional trucks);
• Large combination vehicles (tandem trailers and doubles);
• Tractors hauling empty trailers;
• Trailers pulled by passenger vehicles;
• Motorcycles; and
• Recreational vehicles, or RVs.

Vehicles in these classifications should pull over to a safe area and wait for the restriction to be lifted. PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission cannot guarantee that secondary routes will be passable and those who risk traveling on those lower-traffic-volume routes may face long delays.

Although PennDOT will have crews treating roadways around the clock, the department's primary goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow. PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear.

According to PennDOT, if you must travel, be sure that your vehicle is prepared and that you have an emergency kit packed. A basic kit should include non-perishable food, water, blanket, small shovel and warm clothes. When preparing an emergency kit, motorists should take into account special needs of passengers such as baby food, pet supplies or medications and pack accordingly.

Because weather and road conditions can deteriorate quickly, motorists should always check the weather forecast before traveling. Road conditions for interstates and some limited-access highways are available by visiting www.511pa.com before you leave home, or by calling 511 while stopped in a safe location.

For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.dot.state.pa.us/winter.

PennDOT also reminds citizens that downloadable materials, including home and car emergency kit checklists and emergency plan templates, are available at www.ReadyPA.org or by calling 1-888-9-READYPA. Citizens can find information about getting involved in local emergency response efforts and other volunteer opportunities through the Web site or the toll-free line.

Media contact: Steven Chizmar, 717-319-7638

SOURCE Pennsylvania Department of Transportation

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http://www.state.pa.us