Winter weather hampers travel on Valley interstates
Heavy snow and low temperatures hampered travel across the Mahoning and Shenango valleys Sunday morning, prompting state transportation agencies to lower speed limits and restrict certain vehicles on major interstates.
As of 8 a.m., traffic cameras from the Ohio Department of Transportation showed state routes and interstates in Mahoning and Trumbull counties covered in snow. Visibility remained low at the junction of Interstate 680 and U.S. Route 224, as well as at the Interstate 76 and Interstate 80 interchange in Jackson Township.
The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation has reduced the speed limit to 45 mph on Interstate 80 from the Ohio state line to the New Jersey state line. Similar speed restrictions are in place on Interstate 376 from the Ohio border through Beaver County.
Pennsylvania authorities also implemented Tier 4 vehicle restrictions at midnight. Under these rules, all commercial motor vehicles are prohibited from using the interstates. The ban also applies to school buses, commercial buses, motorcycles, motorhomes, and passenger vehicles towing trailers.
In Mercer County, Pennsylvania, temperatures hovered at 10 degrees Sunday morning with a wind chill of minus 8 degrees. Weather data indicated a 99% chance of snow through the afternoon, with total accumulations expected to reach between 8 and 16 inches in parts of the state.
The Ohio Department of Transportation District 4 has deployed more than 120 plows across Ashtabula, Mahoning, Portage, Stark, Summit, and Trumbull counties. In Eastern Ohio, District 11 reported nearly 60 trucks clearing roads, including those in Columbiana County.
The Ohio Department of Transportation reported that salt is less effective when temperatures fall below 20 degrees. Crews in Mahoning County have been using 20 plow trucks to clear state routes and highways, though road surfaces remained snow-packed during the early morning hours.
Drivers who must travel are encouraged to carry an emergency kit and maintain a safe distance from snowplows.
