'They knew it was coming': Locals take initial snowfall in stride

Randy Griffith, The Tribune-Democrat, Johnstown, Pa.
·2 min read

Jan. 17—JOHNSTOWN, Pa. — Christian McGuire didn't know what to expect the roads to be like after working his shift on Sunday at the Bel-Air Plaza in Richland Township.

Just before closing time at 8 p.m., McGuire was in the all-but-deserted plaza parking lot with a broom, cleaning off a co-worker's car before moving on to his own. Walking through two or three inches of fluffy snow, he said he was not worried about getting home.

It seemed most area drivers were handling the winter weather well. Dispatchers for Cambria and Somerset counties' 911 centers said there were no roads closed or reported accidents in either county. Each county had sent responders to one disabled vehicle.

"Thankfully, everybody is just staying off the roads," a Cambria 911 supervisor said. "They knew it was coming."

Indeed, PennDOT first issued traffic restrictions on Friday, which went into effect on Sunday. Those restrictions continued to be updated with additional limits through the day Sunday.

PennDOT spokeswoman Tara Callahan-Henry said no major Pennsylvania highways were closed as of 9:30 p.m. Sunday.

Alan Reppert, a senior meteorologist at AccuWeather in State College, said the initial wave of snow was expected to clear the area by midnight, but a smaller wave would follow with showers continuing through the day Monday. By Monday evening, snowfall total will reach 8 to 12 inches in the Johnstown area, Reppert said.

Restrictions will continue on the Pennsylvania Turnpike, interstate highways and other major state roads, Callahan-Henry said.

In this area, 45-mile-an-hour speed limits were in effect for U.S. Route 219, U.S. Route 22, Interstate 99 and the Pennsylvania Turnpike. The restrictions on all four roads also banned delivery trucks, passenger vehicles towing trailers, recreational vehicles, buses and motorcycles.

No commercial vehicles were permitted on U.S. Route 219 or the Turnpike from Cranberry Township to Breezewood as of Sunday night, and only semi-trucks with one loaded trailer were permitted on I-99.

An up-to-date map of road restrictions is available on the 511PA app or at 511pa.com.