'Long Overdue': Plow Drivers Across Massachusetts Preparing For Marathon Shifts During Saturday's Snow Storm
PEABODY (CBS) – The plows are lined up and ready to go for what's shaping up to be a massive Nor'easter Saturday.
"We are long overdue. It's been about four years since we've had blizzard-like conditions," said Peabody Public Services Director Bob Labossiere. "At this point, we just want to get it over with."
It'll be a long 36-hour shift for public works crews in Peabody where more than a foot of snow is expected.
"The biggest challenges for us is the amount of time it'll take to not only clear the roads, but all the cleanup after the storm," said Labossiere.
Peabody will have just enough manpower to pre-treat and plow the roads, but that's not the case in Sudbury.
"Right now, I have more pieces than people to drive it," said Sudbury Public Works Director Dan Nason.
He's working with half his usual crew this weekend.
"If there are downed trees with the additional wind we're going to see, we have to pull those teammates off, tend to the tree issue and then get back on the plow route," Nason told WBZ-TV.
If the winds pick up, it could bring down power lines.
"It sounds like there will be power outages just because of the heavy winds, they're predicting 50-60 mph winds," said Labossiere.
While most are dreading the clean-up, there is a silver lining.
"It's a good thing it's on a Saturday," Nason said. "So hopefully people can stay off the roads."
DPW crews will begin treating the roadways on Friday night. They're asking the public for patience, because if the conditions are bad, it could take longer to clean up the snow.
