Clearfield, PA – The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) urges drivers of Commercial Motor Vehicles more than 10,000 pounds in weight traveling Route 6 between Port Allegany and Smethport in McKean County to use PennDOT’s newly implemented CMV detour during winter weather. PennDOT is implementing this detour to improve safety and avoid lengthy delays along Route 6.
“There are three major hills between these communities, and there have been multiple instances of trucks becoming stuck while traversing them the past two winters,” said District 2 Executive Thomas Prestash. “The resulting closures create potential safety hazards for the traveling public and cause hardship to our partners in the hauling industry in the form of recovery costs and unmet delivery schedules as well as to local emergency service providers. Our hope is that using this detour during a winter storm will help prevent those issues moving forward.”
PennDOT’s detour uses Route 155, Route 446, and Route 46. It estimates using this detour adds approximately five minutes travel time between Port Allegany and Smethport. Road closures due to trucks being unable to climb the mountainous terrain can add significant travel time. Additionally, the terrain of the detour route is mostly level, which will result in better fuel economy for commercial vehicles and less wear and tear on the vehicles.
PennDOT is in the process of posting static signage and variable message boards along the detour route. Additionally, PennDOT will communicate this detour to the trucking industry via the DriveWyze app, a mobile tool for professional drivers that offers free safety alerts.
PennDOT, along with the North Central Regional Planning Commission and other stakeholders, are committed to working together on a long-term solution.
Motorists can check conditions on major roadways 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. 511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
Find PennDOT’s planned and active construction projects at www.pa.gov/DOTprojects. Subscribe to PennDOT news and find transportation results in Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Clinton, Elk, Juniata, McKean, Mifflin, and Potter counties at www.pa.gov/DOTdistrict2.
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MEDIA CONTACT: Timothy Nebgen, tnebgen@pa.gov or 814-765-0598
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