HARRISBURG, PA — With a major winter storm bearing down on the Commonwealth, PennDOT and the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission announced plans to impose widespread vehicle restrictions across Pennsylvania’s interstate network as heavy snow and dangerous travel conditions take hold.
Forecasters expect snow to begin Saturday night, intensifying into Sunday with snowfall rates of 1 to 2 inches per hour. Temperatures are expected to remain below freezing statewide well into next week, raising the risk of icy roads, reduced visibility, and prolonged hazardous conditions.
Beginning at 12:01 AM Sunday, January 25, Tier 4 vehicle restrictions will go into effect on all Pennsylvania interstates, including the entire Pennsylvania Turnpike system. Additional restricted roadways include U.S. 15 from I-180 to the New York border, U.S. 22 from Route 66 to I-99 and from I-78 to the New Jersey border, U.S. 219 from U.S. 30 to U.S. 22, U.S. 220 from I-80 to I-180, U.S. 322 from Interstate 99 to I-81, Route 28 from I-279 to U.S. 422, and the full length of Route 33.
Under Tier 4 restrictions, no commercial vehicles are permitted. School buses, commercial buses, motor coaches, motorcycles, RVs, motorhomes, and passenger vehicles towing trailers are also banned from affected roadways. Speed limits will be reduced to 45 mph for all permitted vehicles, and commercial vehicles not impacted by the ban must remain in the right lane. Officials warned that additional restrictions could be added as conditions change.
PennDOT said restrictions will be communicated through roadside variable message boards, the 511PA traveler information system, and smartphone apps, and will be lifted as quickly as conditions allow. Officials urged drivers to monitor forecasts closely and avoid unnecessary travel during the storm.
State transportation officials cited sobering winter safety data to reinforce the warning. Preliminary figures from last winter show 8,329 crashes, 29 fatalities, and nearly 3,000 injuries on snowy, slushy, or ice-covered roads. Many of the fatalities involved drivers who were not wearing seat belts or were traveling too fast for conditions.
For those who must travel, PennDOT urged motorists to slow down, increase following distance, use headlights and hazard lights in snow squalls, avoid distractions, and never stop in the flow of traffic during whiteout conditions.
With rapidly changing conditions expected overnight and into Sunday, drivers are urged to plan ahead and stay informed. For real-time traffic conditions, restriction updates, and emergency travel alerts across Chester County and the surrounding region, readers are strongly encouraged to check the MyChesCo Traffic Center before heading out.
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