NORRISTOWN, PA — The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has budgeted more than $29.4 million for winter road operations across the five-county Philadelphia region, deploying a fleet of 441 snow trucks and expanding driver warning systems as officials prepare for hazardous weather and increased holiday travel.
PennDOT District 6 Executive Din Abazi outlined the preparations Thursday at the department’s Norristown maintenance facility, alongside state and local police and AAA Mid-Atlantic representatives. The regional operation covers Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties.
District 6 is responsible for more than 10,000 snow-lane miles of state highways and has stockpiled more than 110,000 tons of road salt at facilities throughout the region, including 36 salt storage locations.
Its winter fleet includes 200 state-owned snow trucks and 241 privately contracted vehicles. Another 89 municipalities participate in winter maintenance agreements covering more than 2,490 snow-lane miles, allowing local crews to treat and clear designated state roads.
PennDOT prioritizes interstates, expressways and heavily traveled highways during winter storms, with lower-volume roads potentially requiring additional time before crews can clear them. Plowing operations continue until storms end and affected routes are cleared.
“PennDOT asks drivers to slow down and to use 511PA and the resources available to them to make their trips safer this winter,” Abazi said. “Equipment operators will be treating and clearing surfaces to keep everyone moving.”
The department is also expanding automated weather warning systems on major interstate corridors statewide following a pilot program last winter along Interstates 79 and 90 in Erie County.
The technology uses roadside weather stations to monitor visibility, snowfall intensity and pavement friction. When conditions deteriorate, electronic highway signs automatically display warnings alerting motorists to hazards ahead, including potential whiteout conditions.
PennDOT is introducing additional digital alerts through partnerships with navigation and commercial trucking platforms.
Beginning this winter, PennDOT snowplows and Freeway Service Patrol vehicles will appear as roadside hazards in Waze, allowing approaching motorists to receive visual and audible notifications.
The department is also working with Fleetworthy, formerly Drivewyze, to deliver winter-related commercial vehicle restriction alerts to truck drivers. The system will notify participating drivers when they approach highway interchanges affected by restrictions.
PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission already use the service to distribute truck-specific work-zone warnings.
Motorists can monitor road conditions, snowplow locations and recent plowing activity through the state’s 511PA system at www.511PA.com.
The system uses automated vehicle location technology installed in more than 2,700 department-owned and rented snowplows statewide, transmitting vehicle positions through cellular connections.
The winter preparations also include a statewide recruitment effort for temporary equipment operators to supplement PennDOT’s permanent workforce.
Applicants for equipment operator positions must meet requirements that include holding a commercial driver’s license. The department is also recruiting diesel and construction equipment mechanics, welders, clerks and other seasonal personnel.
Job requirements and applications are available at www.employment.pa.gov/penndot and www.employment.pa.gov.
The winter readiness campaign coincides with increased holiday traffic enforcement following a period last year in which thousands of crashes occurred across southeastern Pennsylvania.
According to PennDOT, Pennsylvania recorded 13,240 crashes between Nov. 26, 2025, and Jan. 2, 2026. Of those, 3,338 occurred in Bucks, Chester, Delaware, Montgomery and Philadelphia counties, resulting in 23 deaths and 1,963 injuries.
State and local police will conduct heightened enforcement through the New Year’s holiday under Operation Safe Holiday, targeting impaired driving and other dangerous behavior.
Enforcement activities will include sobriety checkpoints, roving patrols and routine traffic safety patrols.
Police are also emphasizing Pennsylvania’s Paul Miller Law, which prohibits drivers from using handheld interactive mobile devices while operating vehicles, subject to statutory exceptions.
“This is our first holiday season with the Paul Miller Law for handheld devices,” Norristown Borough Police Chief Michael Trail said. “Make sure you are not using your handheld device when you are driving behind the wheel.”
Officials cautioned that impaired driving extends beyond alcohol consumption. Marijuana, other drugs and certain prescription and over-the-counter medications can interfere with coordination, judgment and reaction time.
Pennsylvania State Trooper Jessica Tobin urged drivers to reduce speed, wear seat belts, move over for emergency responders, avoid distractions and arrange transportation before consuming alcohol.
AAA Mid-Atlantic also emphasized the importance of planning ahead as holiday travel increases.
“We expect many millions of people to be on the roadways during the holiday season,” said Jana Tidwell, AAA Mid-Atlantic’s manager of public and government affairs.
Tidwell said motorists attending celebrations involving alcohol should arrange a sober driver or alternative transportation before leaving home.
PennDOT recommends increasing following distances during winter weather, avoiding unnecessary travel during severe storms and giving snowplow operators adequate room to work. Drivers are also encouraged to use designated drivers, taxis, rideshare services or public transportation rather than risk driving while impaired.
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