'All Of Our Trucks Are Out': PennDOT, County And City Busy Monitoring, Clearing Snow-Covered Roads
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Pittsburgh Public Works and PennDOT crews are out in full force for this morning's rush hour as heavy, accumulating snow blankets the area.
City of Pittsburgh Chief Operating Officer Kinsey Casey and PennDOT spokesman Steve Cowan both say they have dozens of trucks out plowing and salting as people go to work.
WATCH: Interview with City COO Kinsey Casey --
- PHOTO GALLERY: Snowstorm Hits Pittsburgh Area
Casey says she herself is out with the city's trucks. Check the city's Snow Plow Tracker by visiting this link.
"We had 60 trucks out starting around 2 a.m., I joined them at 4 a.m.," she said. "The snow is coming down fairly heavily, so we are continually trying to get all of our primary roads cleared. But again, take your time and give yourself a little extra time getting to work in the morning."
Meanwhile, Cowan says PennDOT has all of their trucks out and about.
"All of our trucks are out today, we also have 14 rentals, so our crews have been busy trying to keep the roadways clear," he said. "We're looking good on our interstates in and around Allegheny County, most of them are just wet with areas of slush."
WEATHER LINKS:
Current Conditions | School Delays & Closings | Local Radar | Weather App | Photos
He warns commuters headed north to be much more vigilant.
"As you head into Beaver and Lawrence counties, 376 is definitely snow covered, so anyone traveling north should definitely be careful," Cowan said.
Due to the rain last night and overnight, road crews were not able to pre-treat the roadways; however, Cowan and Casey say they agree that have many school district call in cancellations has helped.
WATCH: Interview with PennDOT's Steve Cowan --
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- Pittsburgh Weather: Winter Weather Advisory In Effect As Snow Blankets Western Pa.
- 'All Of Our Trucks Are Out': PennDOT, County And City Busy Monitoring, Clearing Snow-Covered Roads
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It eliminates some of the traffic trying to get around. But, there's still many others trying to get to work.
"We still have all of the Port Authority buses and all the other folks that are trying to get to work today, so we're trying our best to get the roads cleared for everybody," Casey said.
These storms, when they hit at rush hour, if you're sitting in traffic, so are our trucks, so the fewer vehicles on the roadway the better it is," Cowan added. "On the whole, people are using caution, giving themselves extra time, so we're not seeing too many extra issues."
KDKA's Chris Hoffman Reports:
We're looking pretty good on Route 28 in O'Hara Township. Traffic is moving along fine, and nature has given us a winter wonderland.
Posted by Chris Hoffman - TV News on Friday, February 7, 2020
As for Allegheny County, their Public Works department has 27 salt trucks out on the roads this morning.
On Twitter, they say, "They have gone over each of our roads at least twice, but because of the intensity of the snow at times, those roads quickly get covered again."
Public Works salt trucks will be continuously treating our roads until conditions improve and the precipitation stops. We are monitoring the storm and will add drivers, as needed. Thanks for your patience as we work to keep our roads safe.
— Allegheny County (@Allegheny_Co) February 7, 2020
The road crews will continue to monitor the road conditions as the snow falls, and in the city, residents can use the snow plow tracker to keep track of their neighborhoods.
"Our crews will do everything they can, they'll work around the clock, as long as the snowstorm is continuing we'll treat the roads. Just give yourself plenty of extra time," Cowan said.
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