PennDOT reduces speed limits in response to Winter Storm Elliott
CLEARFIELD, PA – Due to the severity of winter storm Elliott, PennDOT, as of Thursday morning, is temporarily reducing the speed limit on several roadways in the region.
PennDOT is urging motorists to avoid unnecessary travel but those who must head out will see speeds reduced to 45 mph on the following highways:
1. Interstate 99 in its entirety.
2. Interstate 80 from exit 97/Brockway-DuBois to exit 161/Bellefonte
3. U.S. 22/322 from the end of the I-99 expressway to the Juniata County line.
On roadways with speed restrictions, commercial vehicles not affected by restrictions on these or other roadways must move to the right lane.
Although PennDOT crews have been 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 1,000 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.
The department 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.
