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Plow drivers weary of winter storms
Source:
Cranberry Eagle
Written by:
Paula Grubbs
Published:
March 3, 2010
Yet another snow storm hit weather-weary Butler County Thursday night, Friday and Saturday, which meant the deployment of municipal plow trucks from Middlesex to Marion townships.
That snow just added to the record setting amount for February, according to the National Weather Service. The county had 34.9 inches of snow as of midnight Friday as counted by the weather service.
Another 2 to 3 inches fell into Saturday morning and a bit more was added before the month ended Sunday.
The previous record for February was 25.3 inches in 2003, while the normal snowfall for February is 8.5 inches.
Bob Skrak, Butler County maintenance manager for the state Department of Transportation, said the road crews' two eight-hour shifts were extended to 12 hours each on Thursday.
Skrak said crews loaded up with salt and attacked the county's state roads at midnight Thursday night.
"They're snow-weary but well prepared," Skrak said of the drivers. "We have a really good road crew. That's one thing I'm thankful for."
Skrak said the combination of high snow on roadsides and blowing snow caused by high winds caused some extra work for crews.
He said the height of snow on the side of the road dictates how high a drift will be. He said a drift that has been plowed can rebuild back up to four inches high in an hour with the blowing snow.
"We brought in graders to push the snow back further," said Skrak. "It's just a battle, but we're dealing with it."
He said winds were expected to drop off after Friday, which would help crews immensely.
"They'll be as happy as anyone when spring gets here," Skrak said.
Jason Dailey, Cranberry Township public works director, said crew members working the noon to 8 p.m. shift on Thursday were held over until 4 a.m. Friday.
He said 12 trucks plowed the township roads all night, which meant roads were in fairly good shape for the Friday morning rush hour.
"The overnight coverage got a jump on the snow that was forecasted," Dailey said.
Dailey said the plow truck drivers on Friday afternoon tackled the many drifts that occurred in the township.
Butler City Councilman Richard Schontz Jr. said four trucks dropped salt on streets beginning at 3:15 a.m. Friday. He said no plowing was necessary.
"The salt did the trick," said Schontz, who oversees the streets department.
He said the city's main streets and hills are the first to be treated, followed by secondary streets and alleys.
"It's been a record-setting winter," groaned Schontz. "The guys have done a tremendous job. There were times they've gone 30 hours (in the plow truck) without sleeping."
Schontz said city departments pull together when the snow begins to pile up. The parks department plows city parking lots, the police report on hazardous road conditions, and firefighters dug out hydrants and helped senior citizens shovel sidewalks.
"There has been a great team effort in the city," Schontz said.
Snowstorms are sometimes difficult for smaller municipalities such as Slippery Rock, where street superintendent James Grossman has served as the only member of the road crew for 18 years.
Grossman has about had it with the winter of 2009-10.
"It's been awful," he said during a short break in his 12:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. shift on Friday. "It's been a very long February."
Grossman said it takes seven or eight hours to plow and treat the borough's streets. He planned to go home for a short rest Friday afternoon before climbing back in the truck Friday evening to go over streets again.
Grossman said high winds caused drifting, mainly in the northern part of the borough.
And he wished motorists would exercise caution on snowy, windy days.
"Slow down," Grossman advised. "It's drifting pretty good out there."
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