Date:  Friday, October 31, 2008

Contact: Alice Fiman, WSDOT Communications, (360) 705-7080 (Olympia) Mike Westbay, WSDOT Communications, (509) 728-4712 (Union Gap) WSP Trooper Curt Boyle, (425) 766-0812

OLYMPIA – WSDOT starts its 24-hour winter reports at midnight and advises drivers to be ready for winter weather.

This time of year means activation of WSDOT’s mountain pass report line and Web site. You can access the information at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/passes.

WSDOT Maintenance crews and its fleet of plows, graders and snow blowers will be working on the roadway wherever winter weather hits. Motorists must use caution as snow removal and avalanche control work can delay or even stop traffic.

On ice and snow, take it slow. Drivers who are ready for the weather and drive safely help WSDOT and themselves. We offer information at www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter about how to prepare your car and yourself. Know the weather forecast, maintain your car, install the proper tires, and prepare yourself for winter conditions. One spin out can block traffic for hours and cause additional incidents. Clearing these incidents can also take our crews away from road-clearing activities.

Washington law requires commercial vehicles and combinations of vehicles more than 10,000 lbs. gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) to carry sufficient tire chains between Nov. 1 and April 1. This includes some larger passenger trucks, SUVs, recreational vehicles and trucks hauling trailers. The WSP will have a special chain emphasis patrol in early November, to ensure commercial drivers have the proper number of chains required. WSP troopers will strictly enforce the Nov. 1 deadline. Failing to carry chains will cost $155. More information is available by visiting www.wsp.wa.gov/traveler/docs/cvd/chainbw.pdf.

WSDOT also reminds drivers studded tires are only legal for use between Nov. 1 and April 1. Motorists are encouraged to visit their tire dealers for chains and find out about tires that provide traction and are legal for use year-round.

Here’s what drivers can do to prepare:

• Plan extra time to cross all mountain passes, including heavily-traveled routes such as I-90 Snoqualmie Pass, US 2 Stevens Pass, and US 12 White Pass.
• Carry chains and know the traction and chain requirements. Mountain pass traction and chain requirements are available on highway advisory signs and highway advisory radio. WSDOT advises drivers to program 530AM and 1610AM on your radio. When those advisories call for chains, drivers who don’t chain up will face a $500 penalty.
• Learn about winter travel strategies, weather forecast, chain requirements, and see how WSDOT maintenance crews clear the roads at: www.wsdot.wa.gov/winter.
• Sign up for news. Follow media releases, read the WSDOT blog, sign up for WSDOT’s listserv and RSS feeds, see WSDOT pictures on Flickr and videos on YouTube at www.wsdot.wa.gov/news.
• Follow WSDOT on Twitter
• Know the weather and traffic conditions. At www.wsdot.wa.gov/traffic/weather, drivers can look at weather forecasts and road temperatures throughout the state. Drivers can access Seattle area traffic flow map, ferry schedules, mountain pass reports, and current travel times from their PDAs or cell phones by logging on to www.wsdot.wa.gov/small/.

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