Oil City, PA – Due to the severity of the storm, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) is continuing temporary speed and vehicle restrictions on interstates in the northwest region of the state.

The westbound lanes of Interstate 80 between Exit 53 (Route 338, Knox) in Clarion County to Exit 42 (Route 38, Emlenton) in Venango County are reopened. Drivers should be aware of an additional closure on I-80 westbound in Clarion County.

PennDOT is alerting motorists traveling in Erie County to New York to use Interstate 86 at the Interstate 90 interchange. New York has closed I-90 to all vehicles at the Pennsylvania state line. 

In Pennsylvania, a Tier 1 vehicle restriction with a 45 mph speed reduction and commercial vehicles in the right lane remains in place on the following highways:

• I-80 from the Ohio state line to Exit 212B (I-180 westbound, Williamsport); and
• I-90, the entire length in Erie County from the Ohio state line to the New York state line.

Under Tier 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 unloaded or lightly loaded cargo delivery trucks/box 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. 

A speed restriction of 45 mph with commercial vehicles in the right lane only is in place on the following interstates:

• Interstate 79, the entire length from Erie County to Exit 78 (Route 19/Route 228, I-76 Turnpike) in Butler County;
• I-86, the entire length in Erie County from the New York state line to the I-90 interchange; and
• Interstate 376 the entire length from Mercer County to Exit 48 (Route 151, Hopewell) in Beaver County.

Additional restrictions are in place on interstates in other parts of the state.

Drivers are reminded to continue to use caution while traveling during winter weather conditions and to avoid unnecessary travel whenever possible.

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.

Motorists can check conditions on major roadways 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 accessible on the 511PA website.

Subscribe to PennDOT news in Crawford, Erie, Forest, Mercer, Venango, and Warren counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District1.

Follow local PennDOT news on Twitter and like the department on Facebook.

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035

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