PennDOT says it’s prepared for tonight’s nor’easter

(Harrisburg) — PennDOT road crews have already battled three winter storms in the past two weeks, and the department says it’s ready for round four.

All eyes are on the track of the nor’easter that’s heading toward the midstate tonight, as minor shifts to the east or west will have major impacts on accumulations.

PennDOT spokesman Rich Kirkpatrick says crews are ready to shift its resources where they’re needed most.

“These kinds of sequential storms are testimony to the wonderful, dedicated work that the men and women in the PennDOT counties [do], who are out there plowing the roads and keeping things moving as best as possible,” he says.

Kirkpatrick says, as of last week, some 370,000 tons of salt were on hand, with another 152,000 tons on order. PennDOT has already used more than 781,000 tons of salt to treat the Commonwealth’s roads this winter.

Some municipalities have been reporting spot-shortages of rock salt. Kirkpatrick says they’re working with county and state emergency management agencies to address any unmet needs.