Winter

The Daily Item

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) reminds Pennsylvanians of all ages to stay safe during the winter months, while driving or enjoying many outdoor activities. With variations in temperature and density of snow, outdoor activities and driving can become more dangerous than adults or children realize, leading to injury and even death.

PennDOT District 3 reminds every one of the following safety guidelines:

Due to drifting snow, PennDOT has closed the following roads in Montour and Columbia Counties:

Montour County

• Route 2016 (Schultz Road) west of Route 642 in Hemlock Township.

Columbia County

• Route 4019 (Derrs Road) to Route 4017 (Columbia Hill Road) in Madison Township.
• Columbia Hill Road to Rishels Camp Road in Madison Township.

Motorists should seek alternate routes.

PennDOT has lifted the speed limit restrictions that were in place on roadways in the north central Pennsylvania region.

Due to the winter storm impacting the region, speed limits were reduced Monday night to 45 mph on Interstate 80, Interstate 180 and Route 15 in the region. All speeds are restored to their usual posted limits in north central Pennsylvania.

Motorists should continue to drive with caution due to freezing conditions that continue to exist throughout the region.

Motorists traveling westbound on Interstate 80 should avoid the rest area at mile marker 256 in Columbia County due to the large number of tractor-trailers parked at the facility.

Because of the large number of vehicles parked at the rest area, snow removal has been difficult.

Motorists can check conditions on more than 40,000 roadway 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.

Due to cold temperatures and continued precipitation, motorists traveling on Interstate 80, especially those coming from the western or central part of the state where snow has ended, are advised that road surfaces, bridge decks and overpasses will still be slippery.

Motorists should drive with caution, slow down and allow for extra traveling distance between vehicles. PennDOT has been treating roads but slippery conditions could exist throughout the region.

With the widespread winter storm impacting the state beginning to ease, Pennsylvania has lifted the vehicle and speed restrictions on Interstates west of Interstate 81.

Impacted are Interstates 70, 99, 76 (the Pennsylvania Turnpike) between Bedford and Carlisle and 80 between Interstate 99 and Interstate 81.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today signed a Proclamation of Disaster Emergency in anticipation of a significant winter snowstorm that will impact the state starting Monday evening through late Tuesday, and announced PennDOT and the Turnpike will restrict speeds on interstates and some large commercial vehicular travel. Governor Wolf also announced that PennDOT will strategically deploy additional assets to areas expected to be hardest hit by the storm, including the Northeast, Poconos and Lehigh Valley.

With heavy snow forecast for tonight and tomorrow, PennDOT is advising motorists in north central Pennsylvania to take extra care when driving in winter weather.

The department recommends refraining from all unnecessary travel. Those who must travel should slow down and drive according to conditions they encounter when the storm hits.

Beginning at 10 p.m. tonight, a speed restriction will be in place on Interstate 80, Interstate 180 and Route 15 in north central Pennsylvania. Speeds will be reduced to 45 miles per hour on those roadways.

Harrisburg, PA – Governor Tom Wolf today reminded Pennsylvanians to prepare for the coming winter weather, and assured residents that state agencies are taking steps to ensure they and local communities are ready to respond and prepared for the worst.