Pittsburgh sets goal to treat streets within 24 hours of snowfall
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - The city of Pittsburgh laid out its plan to fix a plow problem that plagued multiple neighborhoods last winter.
"Sometimes it's quick. Sometimes it's a day and half or two days," Michael Tony of Bon Air said. "I know this area is always notoriously not getting done very quick."
One of the hardest-hit areas last year was Pittsburgh's Brookline neighborhood and residents expressed frustration over how the streets were covered in snow and how long it took crews to clear them.
However, city leaders are hoping to improve plow service this coming winter. Mayor Ed Gainey, joined by Public Works Director Chris Hornstein, revealed the city's plans for the season.
Their goal is to have the city roads cleared within 24 hours of snowfall. Once the department enhances its equipment and staffing, it'll look to drop that time to just 10 hours.
According to Hornstein, they plan to lease 15 more vehicles to help with its aging fleet.
"Sometimes we don't plow at all, so we only plow when there's three inches or more on the streets, that's industry standard," Hornstein said. "Whether we're plowing or whether we're salting, we always start with our emergency routes then we go into our primary streets, secondary and tertiary."
"Some of those same crews responsible for snow removal are also responsible for assisting our first responders in case of an emergency. So when there's a car stuck in a snow drift, someone is having an emergency at their home, or an ambulance needs help getting around city streets, we have to respond to those people. When that happens, it takes our folks out of line to help them, which means it takes a little longer time for them to get to your street."
Pittsburgh's truck fleet averages out to 12 years old. Other municipalities are closer to five years old for their fleets.
"That's important because we know that older trucks are more likely to break down during an event, and when they break down they are out for even longer," Hornstein said.
The mayor invested $4 million more to Public Works for equipment and manpower. He said it should pay dividends with 40 new laborers and 15 drivers.
"The investment is big, it gives us the opportunity to lease the trucks that we don't have to go out and buy what we need. Staffing is big because we are able to bring on more people," Gainey said.
City leaders are also trying to avoid snow removal delays in neighborhoods like Brookline, Carrick and Overbrook by building a new public works facility. However, that project will be delayed another year but the hope is to have it ready for next winter.
In the meantime, it's recommended that drivers stay off the road if at all possible during snowfall and if you have to drive, use the safest plowed routes.
"Now that doesn't mean that your street is going to be perfectly bare pavement like this table," Hornstein said. "It does mean we'll have treated it with salt and plowed it as necessary."
Tony said he's hoping for the best but is still prepared for the same.
"I'm going to withhold judgment until I see," Tony said. "I don't know. No, they don't seem to be organized. Every year it's the same old story."
