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Due to the winter storm hitting the region, PennDOT is temporarily restricting certain vehicles from highways in east central Pennsylvania. PennDOT is also temporarily reducing the speed limit to 45 mph and restricting trucks to the right lane on all 4-lane sections of these highways.                              The purpose of the restrictions is to help ensure the highways remain open during the most challenging conditions of the winter storm. When conditions improve, PennDOT will remove the travel restrictions.

Vehicle restrictions are at Level 1 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan on the following roadways in Engineering District 5 (Berks, Carbon, Lehigh, Monroe, Northampton and Schuylkill counties): • All northbound and southbound miles of Route 33; • All eastbound and westbound miles of Interstate 78; • All eastbound and westbound miles of Interstate 80; • All northbound and southbound miles of Interstate 81; • All northbound and southbound miles of US 209; • All northbound and southbound lanes of US 222; • All northbound and southbound miles of PA 309; • All eastbound and westbound miles of US 422: • All northbound and southbound miles of Interstate 380; and

Under Level 1 restrictions, the following vehicles are not permitted on affected roadways: • Tractors without trailers; • Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded enclosed trailers, open trailers or tank trailers; • Tractors towing unloaded or lightly loaded tandem trailers; • Enclosed cargo delivery trucks that meet the definition of a CMV; • Passenger vehicles (cars, SUV’s, pickup trucks, etc.) towing trailers; • Recreational vehicles/motorhomes; • School buses, commercial buses and motor coaches; and • motorcycles.

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.

To help make decisions regarding winter travel, motorists are encouraged to "Know Before You Go" by checking 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. Users can also see plow truck statuses and travel alerts along a specific route using the "Check My Route" tool.

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 information on safe winter travel, an emergency kit checklist and information on PennDOT’s winter operations including a video, visit www.PennDOT.gov/winter. Additional winter driving and other highway safety information is available at www.PennDOT.gov/safety.

Follow local PennDOT information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAAllentown.

MEDIA CONTACT: Ronald J. Young, Jr., M.P.A., 610-871-4555, ronyoung@pa.gov. 

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