'Be Safe': Pennsylvania Governor Warns People To Stay Off Roadways During Nor'easter
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- State and city officials say they are ready for the storm.
Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf spoke Wednesday morning with PennDOT crews ahead of what's going to be a long day.
Wolf commiserated with the crews, who are dealing with both potholes during recent freeze thaw cycles, as well as seemingly unending nor'easters dumping snow on the region. He thanked them for keeping roads open and safe as possible.
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"Sometimes they're doing salting, plowing and monitoring all at the same time. There's a lot going on in those cabs," said Wolf.
Wolf says the Pennsylvania Emergency Management is monitoring the storm from Harrisburg, watching the storm's path and progression.
"I think the message from everybody here to everybody in the southeast and all across Pennsylvania is just be safe. This is a big snowstorm. I know yesterday was the beginning of spring and it shouldn't happen but it is. It's happening so we've got to make sure we're doing everything we can to keep safe," said Wolf.
Rodney Stith, PennDOT county manager at the Hunting Park facility, says each dump truck with a plow on the front carries eight tons of salt.
"A typical run can vary anywhere from an hour to three hours, if we get traffic out there," said Stith, adding "they can run through" salt in two hours.
The governor also warned people to stay off the roadways.
"If you don't have to go out, don't go out. Stay off the highways," said Wolf.
One of the workers, Justin, told the governor they appreciate it if people heed that advice, because it makes their runs more efficient, and if people are out on the roads, give the plows plenty of space. Once they get the snow cleared, it's back to pothole duty, according to another driver, Sean.
"We get to them as we can. Some people say thank you. Others are upset. Still more say, 'Hey, there's one over there,'" said Sean.
The storm is expected to dump 6 to 12 inches of snow across the region.