PENNDOT Debuts Its Ultimate Winter Vehicle at Mellon Arena

    PITTSBURGH, Jan. 23 PENNDOT has cleared millions of tons
of snow and ice over the years with one of the largest heavy equipment fleets
in the nation, tonight PENNDOT's newest addition to the fleet will be cleaning
the ice when the Penguins take on the Bruins.  The PENNDOT Zamboni will be
decked out in traditional design including an ePENNDOT logo and the
1-877-540-4279 free 24-hour live operator hotline for the latest traffic and
construction information.
    "It's another way to get the public's attention to winter roadway
operations and the upcoming Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel project.  We've
piggybacked onto the successful marketing campaign the Penguins use playing
off common roadway terms," said PENNDOT spokesman Dick Skrinjar.  "It's
sometime alleged we have two seasons -- construction and winter, the
association with the Penguins helps us help the public focus on both of them."
    The PENNDOT Zamboni takes center ice tonight between the First & Second
periods at Mellon Arena when the Penguins play the Boston Bruins at 8 p.m.
    "Along with the PENNDOT look to the Zamboni, the Penguins will make
announcements about winter safety and when we get to the playoffs and
construction season with the help of the Constructors Association of Western
Pennsylvania, we'll talk about work zone safety," Skrinjar said.
    Custom Application Specialists (CAS), Route 8, Butler, PA, customized the
Zamboni to look like the PENNDOT vehicles motorists are used to seeing along
state highways.  CAS does the restoration work on the PENNDOT Fleet when
needed.
    With the final phase of the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel project fast
approaching, the process begins to alert the driving public of upcoming
traffic pattern changes on Western PA's busiest Interstate Highway system.
For the third year outbound traffic will be detoured while the outbound tunnel
is used for inbound traffic.  Motorists can log on to the website or call the
hotline number displayed on the Zamboni for current updates, alternate routes
and other related information.
    For more information regarding the Fort Pitt Bridge and Tunnel project
visit epenndot.com or call 1-877-450-4279 to speak to an operator at the
24-hour live help desk.