Severe Weather Has Plows, Salt Trucks Working Overtime
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) – City officials said crews will continue to plow and salt the roads as more snow moves into the area.
Mayor Bill Peduto's office said that due to the "prolonged severe weather," some salt producers are having trouble keeping up with demand.
In Pittsburgh, crews have been working 12-16 hour days for much of the last week. This morning, they are focusing on primary roads. However, after the morning rush, they will shift to side streets.
"A lot of salt. Obviously, the small storms and squalls that come in are treated, it's continuous. We like to say it's sort of like 'Groundhog Day.' The poor guys are out there continuously salting the streets. It's been an ongoing problem this year," Pittsburgh Public Works Director Rob Kaczorowski said.
Officials were hoping that slightly warmer temperatures in the 30s Sunday evening would help melt some of the snow, but plow truck drivers are expected to work 12 to 16 hour shifts.
Peduto says he thinks the roads could have been handled better this weekend, and doesn't want there to be a mess on the road during Monday's rush hour.
"I'm not happy," he said.
While there is a break in the snowfall, plow trucks will work to clear primary and secondary streets, but officials say once it starts snowing again, plows are to focus on main streets.
"By the time we finished taking care of our primary streets, we had a second storm," he said, "and that second storm required us to go back and take care of the primary streets. But we have to be prepared for snow much greater than this and we're not right now."
In Hempfield Township, Westmoreland County crews are in salt conservation mode. As a result, they are focusing on hills, bends and intersections.
They currently have 600 tons of salt on hand, which is enough to handle this round of snow. However, they like to have 3,000 tons on hand when a storm is coming.
Stay with KDKA for more information.
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