Check conditions before hitting the road

With record-breaking travel expected over the holiday season, the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) is reminding travelers to plan ahead and check road conditions before beginning a trip.

“More people choose to travel by their own personal car during the holiday season,” said Commissioner Charlie Zelle. “With all the vehicles on the roads, it is important that motorists check the road conditions before they head out for their holiday gatherings.”

According to AAA, more than one-third of Americans —a record-breaking 112.5 million — will travel this holiday season, taking to the nation’s runways, roads and rails for the year-end holidays.

Travelers in the Twin Cities will continue to see detours on the Interstate 35W north to I-94 west ramp and the I-94 east to I-35W south ramp.

In Greater Minnesota, Highway 14/Highway 15 in New Ulm is under detour all winter.

MnDOT asks motorists to take responsibility to:

·         Allow extra time for travel delays.

·         Stay back at least 10 car lengths between your vehicle and snowplows.

·         Slow down and drive a safe speed for current conditions, which sometimes means lower than the posted limit.

The 511 traveler information system website and phone app provide road and driving conditions and include links to the National Weather Service.

The system is available at www.511mn.org or by dialing 511. Motorists can also download the free 511 app on their smartphones and other mobile devices.

For more winter driving info, go to http://bit.ly/MnDotWinterRoad or http://bit.ly/DepartPublicSafety.

Information provided by MnDOT.