WINTER WEATHER: Highway Conditions Alert 2-2-22 as of 8 p.m. Wednesday
Beverly Cantrell - February 2, 2022 9:25 pm
Oklahoma, ODOT/OTA-
Oklahoma Department of Transportation and Oklahoma Turnpike Authority crews are now plowing and treating highways, interstates and all turnpikes statewide as winter weather continues to move across the region.
Crews are strongly discouraging any travel as more counties are affected by the low temperatures and snow tonight. Slick and hazardous conditions are now being reported in the Southwestern and Northeastern parts of the state with weather continuing to impact travel in the Panhandle, Northwestern, Central and Southcentral Oklahoma, including I-35 north and south of the Oklahoma City metro. Reported at 7 p.m., eastbound I-40 will remain narrowed to one lane in Shawnee through Thursday morning due to a crash.
Highways in the Oklahoma City and Tulsa metro areas are being treated and lower temperatures are expected to pose a challenge to the morning commute. Drivers are strongly discouraged from traveling but if it that is unavoidable, allow plenty of time, take it very slow and use caution when traveling over bridges.
Crews in the Southeastern region of the state are continuing to monitor conditions and pretreat. Crews are expecting temperatures to drop, additional precipitation and ice to develop across the region overnight, and rapidly developing slick and hazardous conditions.
Motorists should closely follow the forecast and check current road conditions.
To check CURRENT ROAD CONDITIONS in Oklahoma, call the ROAD CONDITIONS HOTLINE at 844-4OK-HWYS (844-465-4997), on the interactive travel map at www.okroads.org or through the Drive Oklahoma mobile app.
REMEMBER during snowy and icy conditions, motorists are asked to:
• Stay about 200 feet behind road clearing equipment; crews need room to maneuver and can engage plowing or spreading materials without notice.
• Allow extra space between vehicles to provide adequate distance for braking.
• Be aware of “black ice,” which looks wet on the roadway but is a thin layer of ice.
• Be patient, plan trips ahead and allow extra time in reaching destinations.
