Crew Deployment
Crews are deployed at the first sign of deteriorating road conditions. Their goal is to make the Turnpike passable during a storm and all areas of the Turnpike free of snow and ice as soon as possible after the storm.
During heavy storms when it is not possible to remove snow and ice simultaneously from the roadway, shoulders, parking areas, crossovers, etc., the following priorities are adhered to unless otherwise directed:
I. First Priority: Mainline pavement, toll plazas, interchanges, service area ramps, and median crossovers.
II. Second Priority: Shoulders, toll facility parking lots, service area parking lots, and access roads.
III. Third Priority: Other facilities and parking lots.
IV. Fourth Priority: Final cleanup and snow removal at service areas, parking areas, gores, and bridges.
Maintenance forces will be used on a continuing basis to remove snow and ice from Priority I and II areas. Priority III and IV work will be performed during normal shifts or with minimum staffing on scheduled overtime. The snow and ice control operations for a storm are considered complete when the pavement is clear of snow and ice, and the shoulders, toll areas, parking areas, and main crossovers are plowed back enough to accommodate a car or truck.
The MTA uses Roadway Weather Information Systems (RWIS) along the road to collect information including pavement temperatures. Some are predictive weather stations that help maintenance to determine when the road will freeze, allowing MTA to take a more proactive approach to treating the road during icing events.