OH Turnpike Issues Travel Ban For High-Profile Vehicles

OHIO — With the potential for a major winter storm looming, the Ohio Turnpike is banning high-profile vehicles from using the turnpike for part of the week.

The ban will be in effect for the entire turnpike and will be implemented starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday and will remain in place through noon on Friday. The Ohio State Highway Patrol will enforce the ban.

“The implemented travel ban will be continually evaluated throughout the duration of the storm,” said Ferzan Ahmed, executive director of the turnpike commission. “We are expecting moderate to heavy snow on Wednesday and Thursday; blowing and drifting snow from up to 30 mph wind gusts on Thursday and Friday; and wind chills in the single digits during this time period.”

The Ohio Department of Transportation is already warning northern Ohioans that travel during the storm could be "extremely difficult." If they can't stay home, drivers should build extra time into their commutes and give plenty of space to other vehicles, especially snowplows, the department said.

• Read more: Winter Storm Upgraded: 9-14 Inches Now Expected In Parts of Ohio

The following high-profile vehicles are included in the ban, the Ohio Turnpike said:

• All Long Combination Vehicles (LCV) triple-trailer combination commercial vehicles;
• All LCV long double-trailer combination commercial vehicles (enclosed trailers only, including Conestoga type trailers) more than 90-feet in length;
• Mobile home/office trailers;
• Boat and horse trailers towed by passenger vehicles or pickup trucks; and
• High-profile campers and enclosed trailers, which are defined as trailers designed for a person of average height to stand in.

The following vehicles will not be included in the travel ban: self-propelled motor homes, low-profile trailers, fold-down camper trailers, pickup trucks with slide-on camper units, vehicles towing fifth-wheel type trailers, or any other type of trailers towed by passenger vehicles or pickup trucks.

Also, excluded from the travel ban are commercial trucks towing single flatbed or box-type trailers, flatbed double-trailer combinations more than 90 feet and any double-trailer combination commercial vehicles less than 90 feet.