DUNMORE, Pa. — PennDOT officials are gearing up to keep the roadways clear and drivers safe, whatever the weather may bring this winter.
"We've been preparing for this winter since the end of last winter. Our operators are trained, we have the proper amounts of material, and our equipment is ready for this event," said PennDOT official Jonathan Eboli.
PennDOT will be wrapping up some road construction projects ahead of winter and the busy holiday travel season.
"The majority of our single-lane conditions that you see on our interstates will be removed by tomorrow before the winter event. That's something we do plan for, and that's typically the Tuesday before Thanksgiving," Eboli said.
PennDOT anticipates using various materials to treat the roads—brine, salt, and anti-skid materials. Officials say salt prices have increased by about six percent from last year, so they will do their best to use certain materials for specific weather conditions.
"We're very smart and calculated as to when we're deploying our resources. We're also looking to use more brine this year. That allows us to control the scatter and bounce of our salt and allows us to use less salt and activate what we do use."
If you must drive during bad weather, PennDOT recommends having a winter emergency travel kit with you.
"Warm blankets, warm clothing, gloves," PennDOT official Elizabeth Fabri advised. "If you have small children, anything for babies. If you have pets, anything you might need for them. Some additional items might be medications or other personal items that might be important for your passengers or yourself."
PennDOT has more winter weather advice posted on the website.
Get the full Stormtracker 16 forecast HERE.
Information on winter weather road conditions is available at 511PA.com.