DOT To Commuters: Beware Snow Covered Roads

The state Department of Transportation is advising commuters along major highways and interstates in southern New Hampshire to travel no faster than 45 miles an hour.  But DOT spokesman Bill Boynton says in many cases, travelers may need to go even more slowly.  He says crews from Concord to the Massachusetts border are working in "the heart of the storm," and dealing with snow falling at about one to two inches an hour.
 
"And that's going to limit visibility.  It's also going to mean snow covered roads.  So we just cannot, at this intensity, keep the roads bare until it starts to taper off," Boynton says.  "So people need to expect that and drive accordingly."
 
If possible, the DOT advises residents to stay off the roads.  Governor Maggie Hassan has authorized state agencies to give workers leave if they can't get to work safely.  
 
Boynton says this winter is proving to be difficult for road maintenance.  The DOT  is running low on salt, with 99,000 tons remaining.  The agency has already used 118,000 tons to treat the roads.  Boynton says the state is ordering more salt to keep in reserve, but with harsh winters across the East Coast and Midwest, there's a lot of competing demand.  The Concord Monitor reports that with only half the season over, the DOT has already used 65-percent of its winter budget.