O'Connor: Broken plows and training gaps slowed snow response
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A snow plow clearing a parking lot in Sharpsburg. Photo: Justin Merriman/Bloomberg via Getty Images
Pittsburgh's snow removal process was slower than desired, but there's hope the city will be better prepared next time, Mayor Corey O'Connor said Monday.
Why it matters: Nearly a foot of snow fell on the city last week, and it took crews the better part of a week to clear the streets, frustrating some residents.
Driving the news: Press were invited to watch O'Connor meet with public works officials on Monday to discuss the city's response.
- The mayor said he was hoping to glean some lessons for the next snowstorm.
What went wrong: The 37 plows that broke down Jan. 26 were due to a combination of aging vehicles and a lack of driver training on plows, O'Connor said.
- Some streets weren't plowed initially because some drivers didn't have enough training to navigate them during the heavy snow.
- The city's internal tracking system malfunctioned, and some workers were using paper maps to track which streets were plowed.
What went right: Private contractors responded very quickly following the emergency declaration, said officials.
- On Tuesday, the city started requesting eight-hour shifts — as opposed to 12-hour shifts — and started to stagger start times, leading to a surge in plow drivers, said O'Connor.
- The city was able to convert 20 vehicles from the parks department into snow removal vehicles.
- Pittsburgh Water treated roads, and Pittsburgh Regional Transit started plowing certain routes, making it easier on city workers.
O'Connor said crews are still working to clear some alleyways that have not been touched.
What was learned: Public works officials said training will occur in neighborhoods this year — as opposed to at the VA in Lincoln-Lemington — to ensure drivers are comfortable with the city's steep and narrow streets.
- O'Connor said the city is considering working with the Pittsburgh Parking Authority to try to get cars out of on-street parking spots to make plowing easier.
What's next: UPMC donated $10 million and PNC donated $2 million toward purchasing 50 new vehicles.
- O'Connor said they are working to put in the order this week, so the vehicles can arrive in six to eight months and there is time to train employees before next winter.