With a couple inches of snow in the forecast, Pittsburgh-area road crews prepare
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Road crews around the Pittsburgh area are getting ready for the snow to move in.
The snow showers will begin during the evening commute, with the most intense snow falling between 9 p.m. and midnight. When all is said and done, most locations from Pittsburgh southward will have around 2-4 inches.
The Allegheny County Department of Public Works says it's ready. It'll be sending out 25 salt trucks the moment the snow starts coming down and won't stop until all 357 miles of county roads are clear.
Pittsburgh Public Works Director Chris Hornstein says they'll have 60 trucks out. He says if you are traveling this evening, be cautious.
"Please be mindful of where we are parked so our guys can get through with the plow on the streets. We'll have folks out overnight, all the way through Saturday 6 p.m. dealing with the snow and we'll adjust course from there," Hornstein said.
Due to the winter weather, PennDOT has decided to close the HOV lanes on I-279 and I-579 in Ross Township and the city of Pittsburgh. That's starting tonight at 7:30 p.m. and will be closed until further notice. PennDOT officials say this is to allow crews to focus on treating the main snow routes.
In Mt. Lebanon, shoppers at Rollier's are stocking up just in case. We haven't seen a lot of snow so some people are excited for the storm. It also helps bring in business for local hardware stores.
"This time of year to get people to come in, it's one of the few drivers. Certainly there are people always coming in for other things they need around the house, but at this time of year, traffic is light so when you do get people needing to come in for any winter products, it certainly helps out sales," said Rollier's Hardware president Brett Satterfield.