Avoid Driving During Freezing Rain Forecasted This Afternoon

 

(February 15, 2016) – The Maryland Department of Transportation’s State Highway Administration (SHA) crews are plowing and salting highways as a winter storm system is passing through the State. SHA will continue winter operations into the evening and tomorrow morning depending on weather conditions. As crews treat highways, it can take an hour to complete their assigned route during storms.

 

Travel lanes will become snow covered in between passes so motorists must be extremely cautious during winter weather, even if pavements just look wet or slushy. When needed, plow drivers will return to the nearest salt barn to refill, which can add at least a half hour roundtrip for travel and loading.

 

Temperatures are expected to slowly rise throughout the day, which could lead to sleet and freezing rain in time for the afternoon rush hour. Citizens are encouraged to pay close attention to weather conditions and avoid driving during freezing rain. Even treated roads that have salt will likely be icy as freezing rain hits the surface. If at all possible, please stay off the roads and allow SHA and contractors space to effectively manage the storm response.

 

If you must drive, only do so with a vehicle able to navigate the conditions, use extreme caution, slow down and allow extra travel time. A broken down vehicle or even a minor crash can create traffic delays and impact snow removal operations. Additionally, people and equipment must be diverted to assist with incidents, which impacts SHA’s operations. If involved in a collision and there are no injuries, drivers should pull as far off the roadway as possible to exchange information.

 

To get the latest traffic information, log onto www.md511.org or call 511 (using a hands-free device while driving). On Twitter follow @MDOTNews, @MDSHA, @MDMEMA and hashtag #mdotnews. On Facebook, visit Facebook.com/marylandstatehighwayadministration.

 

###