Daily Local News (West Chester, PA)
Riders on the storm
PennDOT lays out strategy, advice for predicted nor’easter
EAST NORRITON » With a colossal nor’easter headed our way, PennDOT took advantage of the proverbial calm before the storm to announce its plan of attack Wednesday.
“The timing of the storm is a concern for us, with the storm expected to start as early as midnight or the early hours of tomorrow morning and continue on into the a.m. rush hour,” noted PennDOT Montgomery
County Maintenance Manager Tony Goreski during a brief news conference held at PennDOT’s Swede Road maintenance facility.
The timing could pose a challenge for road crews, Goreski added.
“Nonetheless, our 350 trucks should be able to compensate for that,” he said, explaining that PennDOT has access to more than 110,000 pounds of salt to treat the roads. “Most plowing operations can run anywhere from two and a half to upwards of four hours, depending upon the timing and the locations of where they will be plowing. Obviously if we’re dealing with the a.m. rush hour, the traffic and congestion could delay the plowing operations. Expectations are that many of the roads will still be snow-covered during the event regardless of how many trucks we have.”
Another concern for PennDOT will be the predicted excessive winds, Goreski said.
“Drivers are urged to delay travel if possible. If you must travel, be prepared to face poor visibility and slick roads. We advise motorists to check our 511Pa.com program or call 501 for real time traffic information,” Goreski added.
According to a press release, 511PA, which is free and available 24 hours a day, provides traffic delay warnings, weather forecasts, traffic speed information and access to more than 850 traffic cameras. Drivers can also see plow truck statuses and travel alerts along a specific route using the “Check My Route” tool.
Drivers can also keep up with alerts via Twitter @511PaPhilly.
“As with everything we do at PennDOT, safety is first and we do have some key points for drivers to be aware of,” Goreski said. “Please, if you are expecting to drive, remove all snow and ice from your vehicle, allow some extra time to reach your destination and maintain at least twice the normal following difference between (you) and the vehicle in front of you. Turn on your headlights and keep your wipers on at all times. Avoid distractions and try to stay focused on the highway.”
At least four car lengths should be maintained between you and the nearest plow truck, Goreski pointed out.
“Some of the problems we experience with our drivers is that people tend to be in a rush and try to pass the drivers. That could potentially cause a problem for you as well the driver,” he warned.
As previously noted by PennDOT, under Pennsylvania law, when snow or ice is dislodged or falls from a moving vehicle and strikes another vehicle or pedestrian, the operator of that vehicle is subject to a $200 or $1,000 fine.
Pennsylvania Department of Transportation Secretary Leslie Richards noted in a release: “We urge drivers to not be complacent even if their area isn’t expected to see several inches of snow — they must slow down, allow extra time in their commutes, and leave plenty of room around our plows and other vehicles.”