​PennDOT has lifted the temporary restriction on certain vehicles from traveling on Interstate 79 and Interstate 90 in northwest Pennsylvania. 

Due to the winter storm impacting the region, PennDOT temporarily restricted certain vehicles from using the interstates earlier this week to help ensure that the interstates remained open during the most challenging conditions of the winter storm.  

Although PennDOT crews have been treating roadways, the department’s primary goal is to keep roads passable. Roadways will not completely free of ice and snow while a winter storm event is happening. 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. 

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. 

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

Follow PennDOT’s northwest region on Twitter at www.twitter.com/511PAErie or Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/groups/northwestregionpenndot. 

MEDIA CONTACT: Jill Harry, 814-678-5035

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