MANKATO – The Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) lifted the no travel advisory for the following counties: Rock, Nobles, Jackson, Cottonwood, Martin, Watonwan and the western half of Brown.

With this announcement, all roads in southwest and southcentral Minnesota have been removed from the no travel advisory. Motorists should still use extreme caution, as slippery roads and snow and ice compaction continue to make travel difficult throughout the day.

MnDOT reminds motorists to be patient while snowplow operators work to improve driving conditions. The majority of snowplow crashes take place during “clean up” when motorists resume their normal speeds.

The public can view winter road conditions from real-time plow cameras available through the www.511mn.org website. Please note that not all plows have cameras.

In south central and southwest Minnesota there are 83 snowplows that work to state highways in the 13-county MnDOT District 7. In southcentral and southwest Minnesota, MnDOT plows 3,325 lane miles. An average route for drivers is 34 miles. MnDOT snowplow operators are doing their part to make highways safe.

After a storm motorists should:

• Check road conditions at www.511mn.org or call 511; it takes time to get roads back to good driving conditions.

• Be patient and remember snowplows are working to improve road conditions for their trip.

• Stay back at least 10 car lengths behind the plow, far from the snow cloud.

• Stay alert for snowplows that turn or exit frequently and often with little warning. Plows may also travel over centerlines or partially in traffic to further improve road conditions.

• Slow down to a safe speed for current conditions. Snowplows typically move at slower speeds.

For additional tips on safe winter driving, go to www.mndot.gov/workzone/winter.html.

For real-time traffic and travel information in Minnesota, visit www.511mn.org or get the free smartphone app at Google Play or the App Store.