Motorists Advised to Limit Travel During Upcoming Winter Storm

Anticipated Vehicle Restrictions Will Be in Effect Wednesday

 

Harrisburg, PA – In preparation for a major winter storm event, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission (PTC) are advising motorists to avoid all unnecessary travel during the storm, and are anticipating that restrictions on trucks and other vehicles will be imposed on certain roadways around the state.

“We have been preparing for winter since the last one ended, and we're calling on the public to be our partners in safe travel,” said PennDOT Secretary Yassmin Gramian. “Please, avoid traveling and if you must travel, be sure to check travel conditions and give plow operators plenty of space so they can do their jobs safely and effectively.”

“While overall traffic on the PA Turnpike is down by about 30 percent due to the pandemic, we do know that critical commercial traffic continues during this time even during severe weather,” said PA Turnpike CEO Mark Compton. “If you must travel, before heading out, be sure to download the 511PA Smartphone App for real-time, hands-free PA traffic advisories. Speed restrictions and vehicle bans will be used extensively during this storm and you will want to be fully apprised of any changes.”

Effective 1:00 PM on Wednesday, December 16, PennDOT and PTC anticipate that vehicle restrictions will begin to be phased in reflecting Level 1 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan on the following roadways:

• All northbound and southbound miles of Route 33;
• Interstate 76 (Schuylkill Expressway) from the Pennsylvania Turnpike to Interstate 95;
• All eastbound and westbound miles of Interstate 78;
• Interstate 80 from Interstate 99 to the New Jersey border;
• All northbound and southbound miles of Interstate 81;
• All northbound and southbound miles of Interstate 83;
• All eastbound and westbound miles of Interstate 84;
• Interstate 95 from the Delaware border to the New Jersey border;
• All eastbound and westbound miles of Interstate 283;
• All northbound and southbound miles of Interstate 380;

CONTACT: Alexis Campbell, PennDOT, alecampbel@pa.gov or 717-783-8800 
Carl DeFebo, PTC, cdefebo@paturnpike.com or 717-645-2265
Rosanne Placey, PTC, rplacey@paturnpike.com or 717-675-4362