Bridges, Overpasses and Ramps Closely Monitored

Garfield Heights (Friday, November 5, 2010) – As overnight temperatures are forecasted to drop below freezing and lake effect snow is predicted to hit Northeast Ohio this weekend, the Ohio Department of Transportation (ODOT) is hitting the roads to monitor pavement conditions.

ODOT spent most of October readying its fleet of snow-clearing equipment and highly-trained crews for the 2010-2011 Winter Season.  Overnight Friday and throughout the weekend ODOT crews will be patrolling the roadways, closely monitoring bridges, overpasses and ramps for icy conditions. 

Safety experts at ODOT want motorists to know bridges and overpasses freeze first because they are up in the air away from warm ground surfaces. ODOT crews use calibrated salt spreaders to adjust the types of ice-melting materials required for each particular situation and the most effective application rates for particular temperature ranges, roadway types and weather conditions.

ODOT will once again remind drivers that in “Ice and Snow… Take it Slow.”  

To keep drivers safe this winter, ODOT wants drivers to “KNO B4 U GO” with a safe driving “tweet” from Twitter. ODOT will offer instant information on winter conditions along interstates and highways in Akron, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Columbus, Dayton and Toledo. More than 8,000 followers are signed up for the service so far.

ODOT’s Twitter efforts build upon the success of the department’s premier traffic Web site www.BuckeyeTraffic.org.  With user-friendly, map-based features, ODOT’s Web site had more than 131 million hits last winter. BuckeyeTraffic.org provides up-to-date traffic information and 24-hour road conditions across the state. 

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For more information contact:
The ODOT District 12 Communications Office at (216) 584-2005

or email D12.PublicInformation@dot.state.oh.us