High wind warning, travel restriction issued

VW independent staff

The National Weather Service has issued a high wind warning for all of northwest Ohio, including Van Wert County, from 5 a.m. until 8 p.m. Friday, March 13.

Southwest winds from 30-35 miles per hour are expected, along with gusts up to 60 miles per hour. Downed trees, downed power lines and power outages are possible. Travel will be difficult, especially for high profile vehicles.

The Ohio Turnpike has issued a High Wind Travel Restriction across the entire 241-mile toll road for some high profile vehicles. The Ohio Turnpike will remain open for all passenger vehicles and most commercial vehicles.

The following types of vehicles are prohibited from traveling on the Ohio Turnpike during the travel restriction period:

• Commercial trucks towing an empty, single 53-foot box-type
• Commercial trucks towing an empty 53-foot tanker-type trailer
• All high-profile (greater than 7 feet 6 inches in height) tow-behind trailers, campers, boats, and enclosed trailers. (This does not include trailers with fifth-wheel type trailers)
• All mobile homes, office trailers and livestock trailers
• Long-combination vehicles (LCV) with double-trailer combinations exceeding 90 feet in length. (Enclosed trailers only, including Conestoga type trailers)
• All LCV triple-trailer combinations
• Two-axle buses longer than 40 feet
• Buses with three or more axles greater than 45 feet.

The following types of vehicles are allowed to travel on the Ohio Turnpike during the restriction:

• Passenger cars and pickup trucks
• Commercial trucks towing a loaded, single 53-foot trailer
• Commercial trucks towing a loaded tanker trailer
• 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 that are not listed in the restricted vehicles section above
• Commercial trucks towing a single flatbed
• Commercial trucks towing a car hauler trailer
• Commercial trucks towing flatbed double-trailer combinations
• Commercial trucks towing any double-trailer combinations less than 90 feet
• Two-axle buses less than 40 feet
• Buses with three or more axles less than 45 feet.