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PennDOT restricts trucks on major roads in South Central Pennsylvania

Harrisburg, PA – Due to extreme winter road conditions, PennDOT is temporarily restricting certain vehicles from major roads in south central Pennsylvania. Effe...

Harrisburg, PA – Due to extreme winter road conditions, PennDOT is temporarily restricting certain vehicles from major roads in south central Pennsylvania. Effective at 8 AM today, all double trailers, empty trailers, and tow-behind-trailers are banned from travel on the following routes.

  • Interstate 78
  • Interstate 81
  • Interstate 83
  • Interstate 283
  • Route 11
  • Route 15
  • Route 22/322
  • Route 30
  • Route 222
  • Route 283
  • Route 581

The purpose of the ban is to help ensure the interstates remain open during the most challenging conditions of the winter storm. When conditions improve, PennDOT will remove the travel restrictions.

Although PennDOT crews are treating roadways, the department’s primary goal is to keep roads passable, not completely free of ice and snow. PennDOT will continue to treat roadways throughout the storm until precipitation stops and roads are clear.

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 770 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.

PennDOT 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 take into account special needs of passengers such as baby food, pet supplies or medications and pack accordingly.

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