Governor Josh Shapiro has honored employees from the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) with Governor’s Awards for Excellence. The awards recognize their response to a severe winter storm in Erie County during November 2024.
The storm, which occurred over the Thanksgiving holiday, brought between three and seven feet of snow to the region, with snowfall rates reaching several inches per hour. More than 250 people from various state agencies were involved in the response effort. PennDOT mobilized staff and equipment from every district to assist in maintaining over 2,000 lane miles and collaborated with local authorities to clear additional roads.
For nine days, Erie County PennDOT employees worked nearly 170 continuous hours. The Area Command Center in Harrisburg was also operational throughout this period, with staff working around the clock. Daily press conferences were held by PennDOT staff from its Emergency Operations Center, and Secretary Mike Carroll was present in Erie County to aid in coordination efforts.
“The dedication of the PennDOT team under incredibly challenging circumstances cannot be overstated,” said Carroll. “The Thanksgiving storm of 2024 is just one more example of how PennDOT shows up for the traveling public every day: no matter where, no matter when.”
Honorees include individuals based in District 1 and PennDOT’s central office in Harrisburg: Aaron Fox, Jesse Williams, Kurt Dowler, Easton Ray, David Donikowski, Timothy Scott, Todd Saltsman, James Shaut, Lindsay Sipes, Dan Whetzel, and Monica Wesner.
The Governor’s Awards for Excellence highlight exemplary job performance or service that demonstrates initiative and leadership. The PennDOT team was among 99 employees from nine state agencies recognized by Governor Shapiro for their achievements in 2024.
Contact: Alexis Campbell at alecampbel@pa.gov or 717-783-8800
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