PennDOT Prepared for Winter Weather in Southeastern Pennsylvania

PennDOT Prepared for Winter Weather in Southeastern Pennsylvania

12/28/2015-KING OF PRUSSIA

With the arrival of the winter season, the Pennsylvania Department of
Transportation (PennDOT) today urged motorists in the Philadelphia region
to be
prepared for driving in inclement winter weather as crews work to keep
state
highways passable.

"State crews and equipment are ready to serve our citizens by treating and
plowing highways to keep them passable during times of snow and mixed
precipitation," said PennDOT District Executive Kenneth M. McClain. "The
past
two winter seasons were relentless for the number of winter storms that
struck
the Philadelphia region, and we're fully prepared for another demanding
winter
season."

This winter, PennDOT can call on more than 440 snow plow trucks to service
8,121 snow lane miles of state highway in the five-county Philadelphia
region
depending on the intensity of the storm. This fleet is comprised of 182
state
and 265 private contractor trucks. Locally, PennDOT starts the winter
season
with 120,000 tons of salt stockpiled at 35 locations.

Assisting PennDOT this winter in the Philadelphia region will be 95
municipalities that entered into winter maintenance agreements to salt and
plow
specified state roads in each municipality. Municipal crews will cover
2,985
snow lane miles of state highway.

A snow-lane is the distance of a road multiplied by the number of travel
lanes.

PennDOT's 182 snow plow trucks in the region are equipped with computerized

salt spreaders that allow the operators to regulate the amount of salt to
be
distributed onto the pavement regardless of the speed of the truck.

In addition, 44 PennDOT trucks and 161 contractor trucks in the region this

winter will be equipped with the new Automated Vehicle Location (AVL)
system to
improve location and operations information through a pilot program. The
use of
this technology will improve the department's real-time information on
vehicle
movement on interstates and other expressways, plow-route coverage, and
monitor
materials usage. The AVL system is part of Governor Wolf's GO-TIME
initiative
that leverages inter-agency coordination and collaboration to maximize
efficient, modernize state government operations, and provide the highest
quality services.

PennDOT will make the AVL system's real-time location data available to the

public this winter through its traveler information website, www.511PA.com.


To further assist operations, 20 PennDOT trucks will use a wing plow (a
plow
attached to the side of the truck) to increase total plowing width to about
18
feet. When deployed, a wing-plow truck can move up to 50 percent more snow
off
the highway. Two trucks will be equipped with double wing plows that cover
24
feet of roadway.

McClain said motorists should stay at least six car lengths behind snow
plow
trucks when they are operating and they should never try to pass a plow
truck.

"Safety is of paramount importance and our snow plow operators have a
tremendous amount of responsibility during a winter storm," McClain said.
"They
must plow snow, monitor the computer that controls the amount of salt being

dispensed, and maintain a close eye on traffic and possible roadside
obstacles. We urge motorists to provide extra space so snow plow operators
can
perform their jobs effectively and safely."

Last winter, PennDOT spread 169,040 tons of salt in the five-county
Philadelphia region during 26 winter-weather events.

In the Philadelphia region, PennDOT has used more than 100,000 tons of salt

seven times in the last 33 winters, including four of the last six. A
record
amount of 172,848 tons was spread in winter 2013-14.

PennDOT will use 25 state trucks to spray salt brine on heavily traveled
state
highways in the region prior to the arrival of a winter storm to keep snow
from
bonding to dry concrete or asphalt pavements during the early stages of a
storm. This fleet includes an 8,000-gallon tanker truck that sprays
Interstate
76, Interstate 476 and U.S. 422 in Montgomery County.

PennDOT will start the winter season with approximately 160,000 gallons of
salt
brine on hand in the Philadelphia region. Last winter, PennDOT sprayed
448,914
gallons of brine on regional state highways.

If motorists encounter snow or ice-covered roads, they should slow down,
increase their following distance and avoid distractions. Last winter in
Pennsylvania, there were 552 crashes resulting in four fatalities and 279
injuries on snowy, slushy or ice-covered roadways where aggressive-driving
behaviors such as speeding or making careless lane changes were factors in
the
crash.

When traveling during the winter, motorists should carry an emergency kit
including items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies,
warm
clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel. However,
motorists should tailor their kits to any specific needs that they or their

families may have. Consider adding such items as baby supplies, extra
medication, pet supplies, or even children's games.

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.

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.

For more PennDOT information, visit www.penndot.gov. Follow local PennDOT
information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPhilly.

MEDIA CONTACT: Gene Blaum, 610-205-6800
Charles Metzger, 610-205-6801
Brad Rudolph, 610-205-6798

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