Pittsburgh Weather: Pa. Turnpike Maintenance Crews Preparing For Snowstorm

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PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Maintenance crews for the Pennsylvania Turnpike will be busy this weekend.

At the maintenance facility in Harrison City, it's all hands on deck starting Saturday morning.

Workers are planning on sleeping at the facility, with no one going home until the storm passes.

"It's rare, usually once or maybe twice a year this happens," said David Vento, who heads up the maintenance team. "They stay here and they know, y'know, they bring food."

In the past, some sections of the turnpike have had to be shut down during big storms, but they're not expecting that this time.

Commercial vehicles and buses are not allowed on the turnpike beginning at noon Saturday and running until noon Sunday.

"It has been commercial traffic that initially caused the shut down. Sometimes if they're empty, they can't get traction or if they're loaded, they can stop fast enough," Vento said.

Crews are placing electronic signs at turnpike entrances to alert drivers of commercial vehicles and buses that they're not allowed.