We’ve known that the winter’s first major storm was on a crash course with Warren County for several days.

And that helps PennDOT crews in their preparation to make sure the roads stay as clear as possible.

“Advanced notice of storms is a big help,” Adam Elms, maintenance manager for PennDOT in Warren County, said. “We use this notice to make sure salt, anti-skid, and salt brine are topped off. Equipment is double and triple check(ed) with any last minute repairs made.

“It is also helpful for staff to have a good idea of when they will be needed for work,” Elms added. “They need to make arrangements for working over the weekend. One of the biggest advantages of notice is to keep the public informed of the weather.”

Elms said that they run two shifts that utilize 23 plow trucks.

“Each one is responsible for 45 lane miles of road,” he said. “We have a few spares in case of breakdowns.”

And the lines painted on a given road will dictate that road’s priority for PennDOT crews.

“We focus on clearing routes based on priority and the priority is set based on the amount of traffic a roadway sees in a day,” Elms said. “The priorities can be identified based on the type of paint lines a roadway has. If you travel on a roadway with edge (white lines) and centerlines (yellow) this type of roadway is our first priority. If you travel on a roadway that only has a centerline (yellow), this is our second priority. The third priority is roadways with no paint lines.”