Crews prepare for snow expected during Wednesday's morning commute
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- With Mother Nature bringing some winter weather to the area, KDKA-TV is keeping you prepared with what to expect.
Mixing snow with the morning rush is not the best combination.
Most routes take crews about two hours to clear, but that's if there are no hold-ups. In District 11, which covers Allegheny, Beaver and Lawrence counties, there will be 134 trucks. In Allegheny County, there will be 80. Crews are expected to hit the roads overnight.
"That's two hours of moving. So if our truck gets stuck in the same traffic or if there's an accident and our truck gets tied up, that time can increase significantly," PennDOT District 11 Assistant District Executive Lori Musto said.
Allegheny County Public Works will have 27 trucks clearing the snow. They will start around 2 in the morning to get ahead of the storm.
North of Allegheny County could see more snow. PennDOT District 10 will have 163 trucks between Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson counties.
"Once this storm does start to come through, we will be ready to tackle it and get the roads cleared," District 10 Community Relations Coordinator Tina Gibbs said.
The timing is the biggest factor. Crews will be clearing roads and trying to dodge traffic.
"The more snow, the more traffic, the longer the routes take, so that's why we do encourage folks to stay off the roads, not only for your safety but to be more efficient for our plow drivers," Gibbs said.
If it snows at a steady rate, it could quickly cover any roads drivers plow.
"You're looking at full-blown coverage before that plow is able to make the full route back to the beginning again," Gibbs said over Zoom.
That's why they're stressing for people to stay off the roads if they can. This gives drivers more time and room to clear any snow. If you must be out, it's asked that you keep at least five car lengths from any trucks.
Meanwhile, in Pittsburgh, crews will start hitting the roads at 10 p.m. Tuesday to start treating roads.
Public Works Director Chris Hornstein says your best route might take a little longer tomorrow.
"Be mindful that the direct route is not always the safest. Be mindful of those hills and sharp turns," he said.
They will have about 40 trucks tackling the streets overnight. More are expected during the day.
The HOV lanes on the Parkway North will close after the Pens game Tuesday night. It is recommended if you live in the city to avoid parking on the street if you can while crews pretreat. If you have on-street parking, give crews room to do their work.
Salt wasn't just on the minds of the professionals on Tuesday. Salt and snow shovels flew off the shelves at stores across the area.
"We've sold some shovels, some salt today," said Gina Dedig of Ace Hardware in Green Tree. "But I imagine the next 24 hours we'll be busier."
We live in Pittsburgh where snow and cold weather are a given, but it seems every year folks aren't prepared. They wait until the 11th hour to get the needed supplies, and sometimes those supplies are sparse.
"It surprises me that people wait until the last minute, but we're here for whatever they need," said Dedig, who is the assistant manager at the store. "And we actually have stock this year."