Crews Continue Clearing Roadways After Initial Struggles

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- Allegheny County called in extra crews to handle the snow this morning, but they had a hard time keeping up with it.

"The intensity of this storm, I guess we're getting about an inch an hour or so," said Stephen Shanley, Director of the Allegheny County Department of Public Works. "It takes our drivers about an hour or two to do their shifts, so there is some accumulation on the road in between that time, so it will give them time to do their shift and come back and clear the roads."

The National Weather Service reported nearly three inches at their Moon Township office.

"We got more than that was predicted, but our crews are in winter shift," Shanley said.

Shanley said they started with 21 snow plows and added five more throughout the day. Earlier this afternoon, he said that roads may be clear now, but keep any eye out for slick spots through the night as the temperature drops.

"The temperatures are going to drop and we'll get some run off coming off the hillsides on the roadways. So it could get slick in areas," he said.

And crews are preparing for more snow on the way.

"We could get additional snow, maybe an inch throughout the day or tomorrow. We'll be looking for areas that ice up but we ask people to use caution when the're driving," Shanley said.

The crews will continue treating roads tonight, but drivers are urged to give plows room to work.

In the latest update from the county, they said 26 trucks are still out and will be out until midnight. They will be back at 4 a.m. unless Public Works determines they need to stay on the roads all night.