Turnpike issues travel ban for high-profile vehicles

On Friday, ahead of this weekend's winter weather, the Ohio Turnpike and Infrastructure Commission announced a travel restriction for all high-profile vehicles. The travel restriction goes into effect starting at 12:01 a.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 and will remain that way until at least 6 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 13 It covers the entire span of the 241-mile toll road, according to a release from the turnpike. High-profile vehicles are defined as vehicles with a height exceeding 7 feet, 6 inches. The following vehicles will be banned from traveling the turnpike until the travel restriction expires or is canceled: • All high-profile tow-behind trailers, campers, boats, and enclosed trailers; Fifth-wheel trailers are excluded from the restriction • All long combination/triple-trailer combinations vehicles • All long combination vehicles, which would include long double-trailer combinations exceeding 90 feet in length; This is for Enclosed trailers only, including Conestoga-type trailers. • All mobile homes, office trailers and livestock trailers • Commercial trucks towing an empty single 53-foot trailer Charles Cyrill, a turnpike spokesman, said the restrictions implemented will be "continually evaluated" throughout the duration of the weather event. The following types of vehicles will be permitted to travel on the Ohio Turnpike: • 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 • Commercial trucks towing single flatbed or box-type trailers • Commercial trucks towing a single 53-foot trailer with cargo/loaded • Commercial trucks towing a car hauler trailer • Commercial trucks towing flatbed double-trailer combinations more than 90 feet • Commercial trucks towing any double-trailer combinations less than 90 feet • 2-axle buses less than 40 feet • Buses with 3 or more axles less than 45 feet According to the National Weather Service, winds of 32 mph to 38 mph are expected with gusts potentially reaching as high as 60 mph across north-central Ohio.