Winter is quickly approaching and Pennsylvania officials are gearing up to combat the potentially dangerous snow and ice conditions on the roads.
On Tuesday, the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) held a news conference to outline winter weather plans.
PennDOT has budgeted $21 million for this year's winter operations. This year's fleet will consist of 182 state-owned snow trucks and over 263 private contractor trucks.
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Additionally, there will be over 131,000 tons of salt on hand to combat icy roads, according to PennDOT.
“Whatever the weather brings this winter to the Philadelphia region, PennDOT will be ready.” District 6’s Senior Assistant District Executive of Maintenance Din Abazi, P.E. said in a news release. “We have been planning for this winter since last winter ended and our crews are prepared to deliver the best possible service under the worst conditions.”
PennDOT is seeking to hire temporary equipment operators this season to help with the department's full-time staff.
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“Our equipment operators have an enormous amount of responsibility during a storm as they plow snow; monitor computers that control the flow of salt; track pavement temperatures; and watch for traffic and possible roadside obstacles,” Abazi said. “We are actively recruiting statewide and in the Philadelphia region for winter employees to join our team and take on this challenging and rewarding work.”
If you are interested in working for PennDOT visit www.employment.pa.gov.
PennDOT officials urge drivers to be safe this winter by slowing down on roads, increasing their following distance, avoiding distractions and staying off the road during storms.
Last year, there were 135 crashes resulting in one fatality and 61 injuries on winter-weather roadways in Pennsylvania, according to PennDOT.
During the winter months, you can check the road conditions by visiting www.511PA.com or downloading the 511PA app.
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