A high-wind travel restriction is now in place along the Ohio Turnpike until midnight Saturday.
The travel ban spans the entire 241-mile toll road.
The following vehicles are banned from using the turnpike until the travel restriction is canceled:
- Commercial trucks towing an empty 53-foot trailer.
- All mobile homes, office trailers, and livestock trailers.
- All high-profile tow-behind trailers, campers, and boats.
- All trucks with double and triple trailer combinations.
- Buses with three or more axles greater than 45 feet.
The Ohio Turnpike said it made the decision, hoping to prevent these high-profile vehicles from drifting into other lanes or blowing over due to the high winds.
"We don't want to take any chances," Brian Newbacher, a turnpike spokesperson, said. "We want safety first for our customers. Both [our] commercial and passenger vehicle customers."
The travel ban does not restrict the following vehicles from traveling on the Ohio Turnpike:
- Normal passenger and pickup trucks.
- Commercial trucks towing a loaded, single 53-foot trailer.
- Low-profile trailers.
- Self-propelled motor homes.
- Two-axle buses less than 40 feet.
- Buses with three or more axles, less than 45 feet.
The turnpike said the restriction will be continually evaluated by the Turnpike Commission's Engineering and Maintenance staff.
All drivers are encouraged to keep a close eye on weather reports and be cautious.
