State Crews Fighting Major Winter Storm
(December 19, 2009) – Marylanders are still encouraged not to travel today as the Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) crews plow and treat highways battling more than a foot of snow.  Despite SHA’s full-scale plowing operations, driving conditions across the State remain hazardous, particularly given blowing wind and snow.    Snow emergency plans are in effect for most of the State. 

Governor Martin O’Malley visited SHA’s Emergency Operations near BWI Marshall Airport for a briefing on road conditions, transit operations and airport services.  Transportation Secretary Beverley Swaim-Staley, SHA Administrator Neil J. Pedersen and Transit Administrator Ralign Wells joined him for a media briefing.  The Governor praised MDOT emergency crews who are working hard to keep up with the storm and keep transportation options available.  Governor O’Malley declared a state of emergency earlier today.

With precipitation falling at a rate of one to two inches per hour, it takes SHA crews up to three hours to plow and treat a 15 to 25-mile highway segment, including time to reload salt.  Ramps remain slushy and snow covered.  SHA and the Maryland Transportation Authority (MdTA) have 2,300 trucks, loaders and vehicles deployed, including 11 snow blowers. 

 
“This is a major winter storm that is affecting the entire State,” said Transportation Secretary Swaim-Staley. “SHA and MdTA will remain out until the roads are clear. We strongly urge people to stay off the roads until the storms ends so SHA and MdTA, along with local governments, can get roads clear.  If you do have an emergency and must go out, use extreme caution and travel well below the speed limit.”

Along with snow, high winds are forecast for the region.  Through this evening, this will cause snow to drift.  Once the snow stops, crews will need between 12 and 18 hours to get lanes passable and additional time to completely clear the roads.  SHA reminds drivers to stay behind and never pass snow plows or plow trains (multiple snow plows in tandem moving snow from right to left).  The untreated road is ahead of the plow and the plowed, treated highway is behind, so “Don’t Crowd Plow.”  

Citizens can monitor road conditions by logging on to the State Highway Administration website at www.roads.maryland.gov and clicking on “CHART,” which stands for the Coordinated Highway Action Response Team.  With more than 500,000 hits today, the CHART website offers a treasure trove of travel information, snow emergency plans, real-time traffic camera views, weather information, average travel speed maps and incident-related road closure reports.  Motorists can also call the Winter Storm Hotline at 1-800-327-3125 for winter weather road closures, or monitor radio and TV stations for road related information.

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