{"id":283,"date":"2012-01-20T12:12:53","date_gmt":"2012-01-20T12:12:53","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mema\/?p=283"},"modified":"2012-01-20T12:12:53","modified_gmt":"2012-01-20T12:12:53","slug":"sha-prepares-for-winter-weather-strike-on-western-and-central-maryland","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mdem\/2012\/01\/20\/sha-prepares-for-winter-weather-strike-on-western-and-central-maryland\/","title":{"rendered":"SHA PREPARES FOR WINTER WEATHER STRIKE ON WESTERN AND CENTRAL MARYLAND"},"content":{"rendered":"
SHA Cautions Marylanders to Plan Ahead for Forecasted Snow, Freezing Rain<\/em><\/div>\n
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(January 20, 2012)\u00a0\u2013 As a winter storm is poised to strike from far western to central Maryland, the State Highway Administration (SHA) is deploying anti-icing crews and preparing other equipment that may be needed later this evening and throughout the night.\u00a0 Anti-icing is a proactive measure in which crews apply a liquid salt brine solution to interstates, primary routes and bridges to prevent snow and ice from bonding to the roadway at the onset of a storm.<\/div>\n
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\u201cWhile SHA has been clearing roads in Western Maryland for most of the winter, this may be the first real storm for the metropolitan area.\u00a0 The specific hazard tonight and through tomorrow morning is the forecasted freezing rain, which could create treacherous conditions for everyone on the roads,\u201d said SHA Administrator Melinda B. Peters.\u00a0 \u201cSince temperatures have been at or below freezing, it will only take a dusting for very slick roadway conditions to develop, so as with all storms please take this seriously and be careful. With the precipitation forecasted to begin just after rush hour, the best advice is to get home this evening and stay there.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u201cSince the forecast calls for freezing rain, which can make road conditions particularly precarious even with crews salting, organizations, athletic teams and other groups should keep a close eye on the storm and plan on the possibility of rescheduling evening events,\u201d said Administrator Peters.<\/div>\n
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During inclement weather it is always best to avoid travel if possible.\u00a0 If you must drive,\u00a0 \u201cKnow Before You Go,\u201d especially in ice and snow with 511 \u2013 a new tool available to travelers in Maryland this winter.\u00a0 Dial 511 or 1-855-GOMD511 from a land line or mobile phone for traffic, current weather reports and road conditions, including incidents, travel times and road closures.\u00a0\u00a0 With internet access, visit\u00a0www.MD511.org<\/a>, register with My511 to customize your reports for your most frequent routes and areas of interest.<\/div>\n
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Just as SHA moves up preparations for winter, drivers should do so as well.\u00a0 SHA advises Marylanders to pack \u201cwinter survival kits.\u201d<\/div>\n
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\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Check tire pressure.<\/div>\n
\u00a0Check tire inflation pressures because air contracts as temperatures get colder. For every 10 degrees Fahrenheit change in outside temperature, tire inflation pressure changes about one psi.<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Check car fluids<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Keep an extra mobile phone charger and\/or charged extra batteries in the vehicle<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Stock a flash light and extra batteries<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Keep a bag of road salt, sand and\/or cat litter in the trunk<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Keep jumper cables handy<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Put a small shovel in the vehicle<\/div>\n
\u00b7\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0Have a basic tool kit and flares\/road reflectors<\/div>\n
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Truckers can also make use of certain park and ride lots that can accommodate large trucks in the event the snow storm reaches six inches or more instead of parking along highway ramps and shoulders.\u00a0 This brings the total truck parking options during a storm to 45 across the State.\u00a0A new \u201cmobile app\u201d that gives truckers an easy way to navigate to these six new lots and to existing truck parking can be found on SHA\u2019s web site (www.roads.maryland.gov<\/a>) \u00a0and click on the truck icon in the upper right corner.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

SHA Cautions Marylanders to Plan Ahead for Forecasted Snow, Freezing Rain (January 20, 2012)\u00a0\u2013 As a winter storm is poised to strike from far western to central Maryland, the State Highway Administration (SHA) is deploying anti-icing crews and preparing other equipment that may be needed later this evening and throughout the night.\u00a0 Anti-icing is a  Read the Rest…<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"_uf_show_specific_survey":0,"_uf_disable_surveys":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[146,225,243,249,257],"class_list":["post-283","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-ice","tag-rain","tag-sha","tag-snow","tag-storm"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t