As Hurricane Matthew Approaches, States Prepare for Emergency
Source: National Weather Service
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Source: National Weather Service
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With Hurricane Matthew strengthening to a Category 4 storm before making landfall, states from Florida through North Carolina are preparing for the worst with road closures, evacuations and suspensions of certain transportation rules.
The storm is expected to hit Florida first on the night of Oct. 6. Gov. Rick Scott declared a state of emergency and urged Florida residents to evacuate dangerous areas, telling reporters at a morning briefing, “This storm will kill you.”
As a Category 4 hurricane with sustained winds of up to 145 mph, Matthew is expected to be historically destructive. The areas of Florida directly in its path have not seen a storm this severe since 1850, according to the Washington Post.
Around 1.5 million Florida residents live in areas designated for evacuation, and the state has suspended tolls on sections of major highways like the Florida Turnpike and Interstate 75, according to the Miami Herald.
By declaring a state of emergency, Florida will implement the reversal of traffic on roads and highways to better handle traffic coming out of evacuation zones. The state will also suspend certain trucking regulations, including hours of service, size and weight restrictions for vehicles transporting emergency equipment, services, supplies or agricultural commodities. However, size and weight limits still apply on the state’s bridges and similar structures.
South Carolina and North Carolina have also declared states of emergency suspending certain regulations for trucks traveling through those states.
In South Carolina, truck weight limits have been increased to 90,000 pounds; a permit is still required for vehicles larger than that. Hours of service has also been suspended for truckers during the emergency.
South Carolina is asking its residents to get at least 100 miles from the coast and is reversing traffic on Interstate 26 for evacuation. Lane reversals will also …Read the rest of this story
