​Indiana, PA – Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) has reduced the speed limit on Interstate 80 to 45 miles per hour with Commercial Vehicles Right Lane Only between Exit 19B:  I-79 North - Erie and Exit 123:  US PA 970 North - Shawville both eastbound and westbound due to winter weather.

A Tier 1 vehicle restriction continues to be in place since 6:00 AM in accordance with the commonwealth's weather event vehicle restriction plan:

• Interstate 80 from I-79 to I-180;
• I-76 (PA Turnpike) from New Stanton to Breezewood; and
• The entire length of I-99.

 
 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. 

 
Restrictions are communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website and smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for personalized alerts on the website.

PennDOT urges motorists to use caution when travelling in winter weather, reduce speeds and be aware of changing weather conditions.

When roads get slick, you should:

• On packed snow, decrease your speed by half. On ice, slow to a crawl. Leave more space than normal between you and the vehicle ahead.
• Apply brakes gently, ease off if you start to skid and reapply when you regain control.
• Do not use your cruise control when driving on slippery roads. Snow, ice, slush, and rain can cause wheel-spin and loss of control. The only way to stop wheel spin and regain control is to reduce power. But an activated cruise control system will continue to apply power, keeping your wheels spinning.

To help make decisions regarding winter travel, motorists are encouraged to "Know Before You Go" by checking conditions on Pennsylvania 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.

Users can also see plow truck routes/locations along a specific route in 511PA using the "Check My Route" tool. Plow truck locations will be indicated by dots along a roadway.  The time it takes for a plow truck to pass by the same point on the route depends on how heavy precipitation is and how much traffic is on the roadway.  During a heavy and/or steady snowstorm, if snow is falling at one inch per hour and a truck route takes three hours to complete, three new inches of snow has fallen at the start of its route before the route is finished. Crews continue to complete routes throughout the storm, but roadways will not be free of snow or ice during the storm.

Drivers should prepare or restock their emergency kits with items such as non-perishable food, water, first-aid supplies, warm clothes, a blanket, cell phone charger and a small snow shovel. Motorists should tailor their kits to any specific needs that they or their families have such as baby supplies, extra medication, and pet supplies.
 
Subscribe to PennDOT news in in Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana, and Jefferson counties at www.penndot.pa.gov/District10. 

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

MEDIA CONTACT: Tina Gibbs at 724-357-2829 or chgibbs@pa.gov.

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