Pennsylvania lawmaker aims to reduce speed limit on dirt roads
COMING UP ON 656 THIS MORNING, IT’S TIME FOR WGAL NEWS EIGHT TO GO THIS MORNING ON THE ROADS. WE DO HAVE SOME BREAKING NEWS IN YORK COUNTY. WE WANT TO TAKE YOU TO THE MAP TO SHOW YOU THIS BACKUP THAT’S BEING HERE BECAUSE OF A ACCIDENT. AS YOU APPROACH THE ROUTE 30 BRIDGE. LOOK AT THE BACKUP HERE. THIS IS ON THE EASTBOUND LANES OF ROUTE 30. THIS IS NEAR NORTH WILSON LANE. AND BACKING UP JUST A LITTLE BIT MORE, YOU CAN SEE EVEN MORE STANDSTILL. THIS IS IN HELLAM WHERE A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE SLOWED THEIR COMMUTE BECAUSE OF THIS CRASH. WE’LL MONITOR JUST HOW FAR THIS EXTENDS. IF IT DOES CONTINUE UNTIL 725, WHEN WE’LL HAVE OUR NEXT UPDATE. LET’S GET TO THE CONFLICT NOW IN THE MIDDLE EAST, AFTER THE U.S. AND ISRAEL LAUNCHED STRIKES ON IRAN, KILLING IRAN’S SUPREME LEADER. WE ARE LOOKING AT HOW WALL STREET MAY BE REACTING TO THESE STRIKES. THE FIRST TIME THE MARKETS ARE OPEN SINCE THE ATTACK STARTED OVER THE WEEKEND. YOU CAN SEE ON YOUR RIGHT SIDE OF YOUR SCREEN, THE MARKET IS EXPECTED TO CLOSE DOWN MORE THAN 500 POINTS FOR THE DOW, MORE THAN 300 POINTS FOR THE NASDAQ. OIL PRICES ALSO SPIKED YESTERDAY. THE ATTACKS HAVE RESTRICTED THE REGION’S EXPORTS, INCLUDING WHERE ABOUT 20% OF THE WORLD’S OIL PASSES THROUGH. WE’RE TALKING ABOUT THE STRAIT OF HORMUZ. ENERGY EXPERTS SAY A PROLONGED ATTACK WILL LIKELY LEAD TO HIGHER COSTS AT THE GAS PUMP. SOME COUNTRIES HAVE AGREED TO BOOST PRODUCTION NEXT MONTH TO TRY TO STABILIZE THOSE COSTS. SO WHAT ARE YOU PAYING FOR GAS RIGHT NOW? HERE’S A LOOK ACROSS THE SUSQUEHANNA VALLEY. YOU CAN LOOK FOR YORK COUNTY. ALL OF THESE PRICES ARE ACTUALLY UP A FEW CENTS SINCE YESTERDAY. PRICES ACROSS THE STATE, THOUGH, ARE ABOVE THE NATIONAL AVERAGE. IT’S 2.99 RIGHT NOW. THE STATE AVERAGE IS 312, THE LOWEST WE’VE SEEN SO FAR IS IN FRANKLIN COUNTY AT 303 FOR A GALLON OF REGULAR. NBC NEWS IS EXPECTED TO HOLD A SPECIAL REPORT TODAY ON THE BRIEFING FROM THE PENTAGON ABOUT THOSE STRIKES ON IRAN THAT IS SET TO START AT 8:00 THIS MORNING. AND YOU CAN WATCH IT RIGHT HERE ON WGAL. GOOD MORNING. I’M GABRIEL THOMAS LIVE HERE IN MOUNT JOY BOROUGH. THE MOUNT JOY BOROUGH COUNCIL HELD A MEETING A FEW WEEKS AGO WITH HOPES OF DISCUSSING POTENTIAL PARTNERSHIPS WITH ICE, BUT IT WAS SHUT DOWN BECAUSE A LARGE CROWD SHOWED UP. THAT MEETING WAS RESCHEDULED TO TODAY AND NOW WILL BE HELD AT CROSSROADS CHURCH, WHICH YOU SEE HERE BEHIND ME. IT WILL BE AT 7:00. GOOD MORNING. WE’RE GETTING A NICE DOSE OF SUN TO START THE DAY, BUT THE CLOUDS WILL INCREASE AND WE COULD EVEN SEE A LITTLE LIGHT SNOW SOUTH OF THE PA TURNPIKE THIS AFTERNOON. HIGH PRESSURE IS IN CONTROL NOW. THAT’S WHAT GAVE US A NICE DAY YESTERDAY, ALBEIT COOLER. AND SPEAKING OF COOL, WE HAVE SOME PRETTY CHILLY TEMPERATURES TO START OUR DAY. IT’S 23 DEGREES IN CARLISLE, 22 IN LANCASTER, 24 IN HARRISBURG. WHEN YOU FACTOR IN THE BREEZE, SOME SPOTS FEEL LIKE THE TEENS. OUR HIGH TODAY ONLY 36. LETTING US KNOW WINTER IS STILL AROUND AFTER THAT HIGH OF 62 ON SATURDAY. TONIGHT WE HAVE A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FOR LIGHT SNOW TO FREEZING RAIN, AND THERE WILL BE AREAS OF FREEZING RAIN AROUND THIS TIME TOMORROW MORNING, MAKING THE MORNING COMMUTE A BIT SLICK AND HAZARDOUS. BUT THEN WE SHOULD SEE PLAIN RAIN BY AFTERNOON. WE’LL TALK MORE ABOUT THAT COMING UP, AND WE ARE FOLLOWING BREAKING NEWS OUT OF YORK COUNTY. FIREFIGHTERS PUT OUT A FIRE IN NEWBERRY TOWNSHIP. THE CHIEF TELLS US THAT A GARAGE CAUGHT ON FIRE ON RIDGE ROAD. FIRE STARTED JUST AFTER 430 THIS MORNING. WE’RE ALSO TOLD THAT A WOOD STOVE IN THAT GARAGE MAY HAVE BEEN WHAT STARTED THE FIRE. WE’RE LEARNING SOME NEW INFORMATION THIS MORNING ABOUT A SHOOTING IN CHAMBERSBURG, FRANKLIN COUNTY. POLICE SAY THEY ARRESTED TYRONE MCNEIL. JUNIOR CHARGED HIM WITH ATTEMPTED HOMICIDE AFTER A SHOOTING ON EAST WASHINGTON STREET. THIS WAS YESTERDAY AFTERNOON. POLICE SAY A PERSON WAS TAKEN TO THE HOSPITAL AFTER BEING SHOT, BUT THEY DID NOT SAY HOW SERIOUSLY HURT THAT PERSON IS. AND LET’S TAKE A LOOK AT YOUR FORECAST. THIS IS TOMORROW MORNING AT ABOUT THIS TIME, YOU CAN SEE THAT WE HAVE A MIX OF SOME SNOW, SOME FREEZING RAIN, SOME RAIN, WHICH WILL CHANGE TO ALL RAIN BY AFTERNOON. AND THEN WE’LL SEE PERIODS OF RAIN AS WE HEAD INTO EVENING. SO TOMORROW, QUITE A DAMP DAY. A CHILLY DAY AT 36. WE JUST HAVE TO WATCH OUT FOR SLICK SPOTS, A GLAZE OF ICE AND A COATING OF SNOW DURING THE MO
Pennsylvania lawmaker aims to reduce speed limit on dirt roads
Updated: 7:16 AM EST Mar 2, 2026
A Pennsylvania lawmaker announced plans to introduce a bill that would lower the default speed limit on public dirt and gravel roads. State Rep. Christina Sappey, a Democrat who represents the 158th House District, said in a memo circulated to House members that Pennsylvania has about 23,000 miles of public dirt and gravel roads that are prone to erosion, dust and heavy wear from vehicle traffic. Under current law, unposted dirt and gravel roads have a default speed limit of 55 mph, Sappey said. Sappey argues that speed can create safety risks and contribute to vehicle and property damage from dust and loose road material. Sappey said her legislation would reduce the default limit to a maximum of 35 mph, while keeping in place the ability for municipalities to post speed limits below 35 mph. The bill has not yet been introduced. Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more. See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.
A Pennsylvania lawmaker announced plans to introduce a bill that would lower the default speed limit on public dirt and gravel roads.
State Rep. Christina Sappey, a Democrat who represents the 158th House District, said in a memo circulated to House members that Pennsylvania has about 23,000 miles of public dirt and gravel roads that are prone to erosion, dust and heavy wear from vehicle traffic.
Under current law, unposted dirt and gravel roads have a default speed limit of 55 mph, Sappey said.
Sappey argues that speed can create safety risks and contribute to vehicle and property damage from dust and loose road material.
Sappey said her legislation would reduce the default limit to a maximum of 35 mph, while keeping in place the ability for municipalities to post speed limits below 35 mph.
The bill has not yet been introduced.
Stay with WGAL for updates as we learn more.
See news happening? Send us your photos or videos if it’s safe to do so at https://www.wgal.com/upload.