Montoursville, PA – As the winter storm wraps up in northcentral Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) District 3, reminds motorists to slow down and drive with caution.
Temperatures are anticipated to drop and remain in the low teens through Wednesday. While crews have treated and continue to treat the roadways throughout the district, the low temperatures may impact the effectiveness of the materials.
Salt, for example, is a great material to mitigate winter weather, but it is not a silver bullet. The material is less effective below 25 degrees and not effective below 15 degrees, so motorists may encounter slick spots on the roadway, especially in areas of shade or snow drifts.
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.
Motorists are cautioned to watch for “black ice”, a condition occurring on clear roadways when a thin layer of ice forms. When the road looks wet, but no spray is coming from the tires of other vehicles, black ice may be present and extra caution is needed when approaching bridges and highway ramps where ice can form without warning.
While PennDOT recommends not traveling during winter storms, motorists can check 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.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional X alerts.
The department also asks motorists to 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.
PennDOT reminds motorists to pack an emergency kit for their vehicles. A basic kit should include non-perishable food, water, blanket, small shovel and warm clothes. When preparing an emergency kit, motorists should account for special needs of passengers such as baby food, pet supplies or medications and pack accordingly.
More information about how to prepare for any type of emergency, including free downloadable checklists of items to keep in your home, car, and at work, and specific information for people with access and functional needs or pets, is available on the Ready PA webpage.
For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.PennDOT.pa.gov/winter.
Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Bradford, Columbia, Lycoming, Montour, Northumberland, Snyder, Sullivan, Tioga, and Union counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District3.
Find PennDOT news on X, Facebook and Instagram.
MEDIA CONTACT: Maggie Baker, 570-368-4202 or magbaker@pa.gov
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