Philadelphia's Streets Department Preparing For Not 1, But 2 Storms
By Molly Daly
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) - It looks as if we'll be getting a one-two punch from Mother Nature in the next two days, and crews are gearing up to keep the streets and highways clear.
Streets Commissioner David Perri says the city has 40,000 tons of salt on hand:
"That's more than enough for a storm of the magnitude expected."
There are 140 vehicles ready to plow and salt, plus about 125 trash trucks that can be outfitted with plows if they're absolutely needed. But they're all big for the city's narrower streets.
"We also supplement our own fleet with contractor vehicles," Perri says. "Those types of vehicles include both small contractor equipment, as well as large dump trucks."
Perri says officials start sketching out a plan about 48 hours before a storm, but it's not written in stone:
"As the forecasts change, our plans change. They change up to the moment that the storm starts, and even during the storm event itself."
Just like the rest of us, they'll be keeping a close eye on the forecast.