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• PENNDOT READY FOR SNOW TO STRIKE PHILADELPHIA REGION TOMORROW
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Wednesday, February 24, 2010
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News for Immediate Release
Feb. 24, 2010
PennDOT Ready for Snow to Strike Philadelphia Region Tomorrow
Motorists Urged to Avoid Unnecessary Travel or Allow Extra Time
King of Prussia – With another winter storm predicted to strike the Philadelphia region tomorrow morning (Feb. 25), the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is ready to mobilize 420 trucks to plow and salt state highways in the five-county region.
PennDOT District Executive Lester C. Toaso said all available state and contractor snow plows will be utilized during this storm based on the forecast for accumulating snow and strong winds.
“Once again the Philadelphia region will face a potent combination of snow and wind that will make travel conditions very difficult tomorrow and possibly on Friday,” Toaso said. Our plan is to be in front of this storm from the outset and plow throughout to keep state roads passable.”
To counter the initial impacts of the storm, PennDOT crews today are spraying regional expressways and key traffic routes with a salt brine solution to help prevent snow from bonding instantly to the cold pavement. Crews also are working today to repair potholes that have developed recently because of fluctuating temperatures, melting snow and yesterday’s rainstorm.
Toaso urged motorists to refrain from driving during the winter storm unless absolutely necessary. If citizens must travel, they need to reduce their speeds, allow more time to reach their destinations, and use extreme care because of poor visibility and difficult road conditions.
PennDOT has 51,050 tons of salt stockpiled in 36 locations in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties. This winter PennDOT has spread 114,363 tons of salt in the five-county Philadelphia area, the most salt used in the region with records dating back to the winter of 1981-82. The previous record for salt spread in the region over the past 28 years was 101,956 tons in the winter of 2002-03.
PennDOT’s fleet of 420 snow trucks in the five-county Philadelphia region consists of 182 state and 238 contractor trucks.
To complement PennDOT’s winter fleet, 96 municipalities in the Philadelphia region will clear snow from state-owned highways within their boundaries as part of the state’s Municipal Snow Removal Program. Under this program, local municipalities plow 1,264 of the 3,530 miles of state highways in the five-county region.
PennDOT reminds citizens not to push snow onto the street when shoveling their driveways or sidewalks.
If travel is necessary during the snowstorm, PennDOT offers these additional winter safety tips:
· Turn on your headlights during inclement weather and remember that state law requires drivers to turn on their headlights when wipers are on.
· Maintain at least twice the normal following distance when driving on snow or ice -- rear‑end collisions account for most winter crashes.
· Maintain a distance of at least six car lengths behind a snow plow.
· Do not pass a snow plow because the plow blades are wider than the truck.
· Clear snow and ice from windows, mirrors, roof, hood, headlights, taillights, and trunk before driving. State law states that if snow or ice from your vehicle strikes another vehicle or person and causes death or injury, you will face a severe fine.
· Keep your gas tank full.
· Use extra care when driving on a bridge or elevated ramp during the winter because they freeze before the road built on the ground.
· Check the level of your windshield washing fluid regularly and use fluids marked specifically for winter use. Also, keep an extra container of fluid in the trunk.
· Keep your vehicle in proper working condition. Make sure the engine is tuned and the battery, belts, hoses and radiator are checked. Examine your tires to make sure they have adequate tread. Also, remember to keep your tires properly inflated.
· Keep an ice scraper/snow brush, deicer, small snow shovel, warning devices (flares or triangles), bag of salt or sand, flashlight, battery cables, tire chains, paper towels, water and a blanket in your vehicle during the winter.
· Car pool or use mass transit whenever possible during a snowstorm. Fewer cars on the road makes travel safer and expedites snow plowing operations.
Motorists can obtain road conditions for interstates and some limited-access highways by calling 511 while stopped in a safe location, or by visiting www.511pa.com before you leave home.
For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.dot.state.pa.us/winter.
Media contact: Gene Blaum, Assistant Press Secretary, 610-205-6800
Charles Metzger, Community Relations Coordinator, 610-205-6801
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