The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is pleased to announce its Paint the Plow safety contest winner for District 9. Tussey Mountain High School of Bedford County won the "Fan Favorite" award, which was determined by online voting through www.penndot.pa.gov. The plow art depicts a winter car crash scene with two Titan mascots saying, "Don't Text and Drive," and "Everyone is okay, drive safe," to convey this year's theme, "Put Down the Device in Snow and Ice." The plow scene also includes a drawing of a PennDOT snowplow, that cleverly repeats the overall scene on its plow blade.
Members of the public were invited to vote from December 12-18, 2022, for their favorite plow from 11 area high schools that entered in this year's regional contest. Tussey Mountain High School received 945 of the 3,537 votes cast overall, to win the 2022 "Fan Favorite" honor.
Running a very close second with 883 votes, Central Cambria High School, of Cambria County grabbed an "Honorable Mention", for their design of a fanged snow monster in a windy, winter background that points to a cell phone while saying "Put Down the Device in Snow and Ice."
During this winter season, blades from all 12 participating schools (Admiral Peary, Bedford Area, Berlin Brothersvalley, Blacklick Valley, Cambria Heights, Central Cambria, Northern Bedford, Portage Area, Richland, Southern Huntingdon, Tussey Mountain High School and Tussey Mountain Middle School, which created a plow as a non-voting participant) will be used to maintain state-owned roadways in their respective local counties - Bedford, Cambria, Huntingdon and Somerset. Photos of all the District 9 plows can be viewed on the PennDOT website www.penndot.pa.gov/District/9.
Paint the Plow is a collaborative effort between PennDOT and area high schools aimed at promoting winter driving safety and fostering appreciation for student art programs and creativity. Students are invited to paint a plow blade with an original design based on a provided theme. The 2022 statewide theme "Put Down the Device in Snow and Ice," was chosen to draw attention to the need for motorists to give driving their full attention and eliminate distractions, like cell phones, especially during winter weather events.
For more information on PennDOT's winter preparations and additional winter-driving resources for motorists, visit the department's winter website.
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 1,000 traffic cameras.
511PA is also available through a smartphone application for iPhone and Android devices, by calling 5-1-1, or by following regional Twitter alerts accessible on the 511PA website.
Subscribe to Penndot news in Bedford, Blair, Cambria, Fulton, Huntingdon and Somerset Counties at www.penndot.gov/District9
Follow local PennDOT information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAAltoona.
MEDIA CONTACT: Monica J. Owens, 814-696-7105, moowens@pa.gov.
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