COLUMBUS — As road crews across the state continue to prepare however they can, Ohio Gov. Mike DeWine and the Ohio Department of Transportation are encouraging Ohioans to not travel during the storm.
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“We are encouraging Ohioans to avoid any unnecessary trips during the storm to help give all of our road crews room to work,” DeWine said in an ODOT news release Tuesday.
“For those who must travel, please be safe and take it slow, giving yourself plenty of time to get to your destination.”
The system is set to impact the entire region with rounds of rain, freezing rain, and snow all of which will accumulate.
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An ODOT spokesperson previously told News Center 7 this winter system will be tricky for their road crews to prepare for, due to the rain and freezing rain in the forecast.
On Tuesday, ODOT Director Jack Marchbanks said the department will still strive to reach their goal of having primary roadways clear within two hours of the storm ending.
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“During winter storms, ODOT strives to keep roads passable to help ensure that emergency services and essential workers can safely reach their destinations,” Marchbanks said. “But even with our crews out in full force, roads will likely be snow and ice-covered, and it will take much longer to travel. Once the storm moves out, our crews will be able to make progress toward getting traffic moving at regular speed.”
The department has a goal to have the average traffic speed on primary routes back to within 10 mph of the posted speed limit within two hours of a storm ending. On secondary streets ODOT handles, the same goal is expected within four hours of the storm ending.
“ODOT forces hit that goal 95% of the time last winter,” the spokesperson said.
ODOT handles snow removal and winter weather treatments on over 43,000 miles of state and U.S. routes outside of cities and all interstates except the Ohio Turnpike, the spokesperson said.
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