Uniontown, PA – Due to the severity of the winter storm, PennDOT is temporarily restricting certain vehicles on Interstate 70 and Interstate 79 in Southwestern Pennsylvania.

Vehicle restrictions reflect Tier 2 of the commonwealth’s weather event vehicle restriction plan, and are in effect on the following roadways:

• Interstate 79 in Greene and Washington Counties.

• Interstate 70 in Westmoreland and Washington Counties.                       

Under Tier 2 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 loaded tandem trailers unless there are chains or another approved Alternate Traction Device on board;

• 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.

• buses, commercial buses, and motor coaches; and

• motorcycles.

The purpose of the restriction is to help ensure the interstates remain open during the most challenging conditions of the winter storm. When conditions improve, PennDOT will remove the travel restrictions.

Restrictions will be communicated via variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information website at www.511PA.com and smartphone apps. Motorists can also sign up for alerts on the website.

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.

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.

For more winter driving tips and information on how PennDOT treats winter storms, visit www.penndot.gov/winter.

Subscribe to PennDOT news and traffic alerts in Fayette, Greene, Washington, and Westmoreland counties at https://www.penndot.gov/RegionalOffices/district-12/Pages/default.aspx

Follow local PennDOT information on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAPittsburgh or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/pittsburghpenndot

MEDIA CONTACT: Melissa Maczko, 724-439-7340

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