Crews preparing for winter weather ahead of holiday travel
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Crews are getting ready for a winter storm that could impact holiday travel just before Christmas.
Beginning Friday morning at 3 a.m., Allegheny County Public Works will deploy 33 salt trucks for 24-hour coverage of county-maintained roads until the snow stops or the roadways are clear.
Crews were busy Wednesday afternoon at the maintenance garage in Carnegie, loading trucks with salt and installing plows all in preparation for this weekend's storm.
They're anticipating rain coming in Thursday and transitioning into snow by Friday morning.
Temperatures are expected to drop Friday from the upper 30s and lower 40s before dawn to less than 20 degrees by noon, which could be the start to five days of sub-freezing temps.
As temperatures drop into the single digits during the day on Friday, wind chills will head below zero and stay there into Christmas Day.
Due to the unpredictable nature of the weather, Public Works says they're ready around the clock for whatever Mother Nature throws at us, armed with almost 12,000 tons of salt and 2,600 gallons of calcium chloride.
"We're worried about freezing on the roadways," said Department of Public Works Director Stephen Shanley. "We want people to be cognizant of any runoff, elevated structures, overpasses and bridges at this transition period. So if they could slow down, take their time and plan accordingly for a longer trip."
They're reminding drivers to use caution as flash freezing and black ice is a possibility. Also, keep a safe distance between yourself and the truck. About five to 10 car lengths is recommended.
