PennDOT warns against travel on I-81 during storm

The Pennsylvania Department of Transportation is urging holiday drivers to avoid Interstate 81 as a storm that’s bringing up to a foot of heavy, wet snow descends on the region.

PennDOT press secretary Rich Kirkpatrick said Wednesday that anyone considering driving long distances on the highway should try to postpone their travel.

I-81 always carries a heavy volume of trucks, and it’s a major national artery for holiday travelers.

Kirkpatrick says drivers should at least have medication, food and water in case they become temporarily stranded.

A snowstorm expected to last all day is projected to drop from several inches to a foot along a route that generally tracks I-81.

Kirkpatrick says the state agency has about 1,500 trucks available to clear the snow and treat road surfaces.