(February 1, 2021) - The Maryland Department of Transportation State Highway Administration (MDOT SHA) remains in emergency operations as a second round of winter weather overnight will lead to treacherous conditions into tomorrow morning.   

The National Weather Service expects freezing rain, snow and high winds to impact most of the state. Western Maryland could see 5-7 additional inches of snow, with the I-95 corridor serving as the line between snow and rain falling. Wind gusts of up to 35 miles per hour are expected to begin in the east today and continue through Tuesday.

MDOT SHA has already deployed 2,700 pieces of equipment and 1,200 personnel to the storm, starting Friday with pre-treating activities. Crews will continue to enhance patrols along state- maintained roadways by applying materials and plowing. Our Coordinated Highways Action Response Team (CHART) has responded to more than 400 crashes.

Marylanders are encouraged to stay off the roads through tomorrow in order to give crews room to work. Go virtual if you can, drive safety and cautiously if you must.    

MDOT SHA encourages motorists to make smart travel decisions by staying at home in inclement weather. Motorists who are on the road, please follow the following guidelines:

• Don’t crowd the plow. Please give snow plows a wide berth on all sides.   
• Posted speed limits are for ideal weather conditions. In cases of inclement weather like this, you want to drive slower than usual, at least 10 mph slower than you ordinarily would.
• Clear your car completely before driving. Snow can fall off your moving vehicle and create a hazard for other drivers.
• Go slow on ice and snow. Posted speed limits are for ideal weather conditions, so drive about 10 mph slower than usual.
• Elevated road surfaces such as bridges, ramps and overpasses freeze first — Remain extra vigilant.  

Real-time weather and traffic information is available at md511.maryland.gov. Customers can also view the Statewide Transportation Operations Resources Map (STORM) web application, which provides a tracking of MDOT SHA winter operations.

Editor’s Note

From intersection improvements to widening and new interchange construction, MDOT SHA is investing in projects to enhance the commute and daily travel for millions of Marylanders.  MDOT SHA maintains more than 2,500 bridges and 17,000 miles of non-toll state roads – the interstate, US and state numbered routes in Maryland’s 23 counties.