Area road crews ready for snow
Canton Township snow plow driver Sam Moore checks his truck Monday. Crews had to stop spring street-sweeping preparations to return to the snow-removal equipment.
Aaron Lucero, public works supervisor for East Washington, checks on his plow truck Monday in anticipation of snowfall.
Observer-Reporter
PennDOT prepares for snow in March of 2017 as operator Keith Youler of Brownsville attaches a plow to his truck at the maintenance yard on Route 40.
With meteorologists predicting 4 to 6 inches of snowfall in Washington and Greene counties through Wednesday, area road department supervisors said they are prepared to deal with the worst-case scenario.
“Snow removal is our business, so we’ve been preparing for this all year,” said Adam Smith, state Department of Transportation Washington County maintenance manager. “We’re comfortable with the forecast, material and manpower we’ve got. We’ll be prepared.”
While accumulation totals will vary, meteorologist Richard Redmond of the National Weather Service in Pittsburgh said the first precipitation will fall around midnight, with 1 to 2 inches inches of heavy, wet snow by 9 a.m. Tuesday.
Two bands of snow – one from the Midwest and one from the Atlantic – will cause showers through Monday that will taper off in the afternoon. However, a second storm with colder winds could settle over the region starting Tuesday evening if a band of lake-effect snow from Lake Erie makes its way south.
“This is going to be a drawn-out, two-day event,” Redmond said.
Redmond said 4 to 6 inches total is a good estimate, but the eastern side of the counties could see an inch more than the west.
Northeastern states will take the brunt of the storm. Snowfalls across New England are expected to reach as much as 24 inches.
In Western Pennsylvania, snow could continue to accumulate through Wednesday morning rush hour.
Ahead of the storm, state road crews started preparing equipment and materials at 4 a.m. Monday, said Smith. According to PennDOT spokesman Jay Ofsanik, there are 59 plow trucks used in Washington County with 94 operators, who work in 12-hour shifts.
“They will work throughout the incident to keep the roads passable and open,” he said.
Crews began pretreating highways Monday evening to prevent freezing.
Municipal road crews are similarly prepared.
In Greene County, Waynesburg Borough Manager Mike Simms said the salt supplies are ready to go and crews are prepared for the storm.
“We’re hoping for the best and planning for the worst,” he said. “The trucks are ready and the guys are getting mentally prepared to go out whenever necessary. It all depends on when the snow starts falling.”
In Washington, Councilman Ken Westcott said the city’s five plow trucks are prepared with plenty of snow-melting material.
“We’re getting prepared for the worst and hoping for the best,” he said, echoing Simms.
Canonsburg Mayor Dave Rhome said borough crews are prepared to deal with whatever hits, with members of the road crew prepared to spend the next two days keeping up with the falling snow.
“Police, fire – everyone is pretty well prepared to handle it,” he said. “This is nothing new to us.”
Ofsanik asked people to stay off the roads, if possible. He advised motorists to give themselves extra travel time and to keep a safe distance from plow trucks. AAA advises drivers to remove ice and snow from vehicles before commuting.