Storm shuts down major highways in Philadelphia

    Several major highways in the Philadelphia region have been shut down because of the snowstorm.

    Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has ordered the Schuylkill Expressway, Blue Route, and Route 676 shut down indefinitely. Gene Blaum is a spokesman for PennDot. He says the decision was made for safety reasons.

    Several  major highways in the Philadelphia region have been shut down because of the snowstorm.
    (Photo: A train of plows clearing the Blue Route after it’s closing today / Todd Vachon – WHYY) [audio:100210TMSHUT.mp3]

    Pennsylvania Governor Ed Rendell has ordered the Schuylkill Expressway, Blue Route, and Route 676 shut down indefinitely.  Gene Blaum is a spokesman for PennDot.  He says the decision was made for safety reasons.

    Blaum:
    So with very poor visibility snowfall coming down about an inch an hour, conditions are just so difficult from a travelers standpoint and the last thing anyone wants to see is any stranded motorists or any incidents on the interstate.  By shutting them down it allows our crews to have free rein of the roadway as far as the cleanup of it.

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    Blaum says Interstate 95 will remain open but he is urging people who are driving to be careful and watch out for plows and other equipment that is clearing the snow from the highways.

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