Pittsburgh officials look to improve snow removal plans

The next time it snows, Pittsburgh’s public works employees will be more prepared to keep the city’s streets clear, officials announced Monday.

The White Christmas, or at least its aftermath, left some city residents seeing red after they failed to spot a plow or salt truck for two days in some areas, including the South Hills neighborhoods.

Councilman Anthony Coghill said he was working to address the issue. In a joint statement, Coghill and Mayor Bill Peduto detailed new procedures to improve the city’s response to snowstorms.

“We’ve got to put more salt down,” Coghill said.

The toughest problem is finding people who are willing to work, he said.

During the Christmas storm, there were 90 trucks available, but only 30 drivers, Coghill said.

Six trucks were also broken down that would have served Coghill’s district, which includes the Beechview, Bon Air, Brookline, Carrick, Mt. Washington and Overbook neighborhoods.

Coghill and Peduto discussed “wider ranging” things like upgrading the city’s fleet, he said, but they also discussed how to be able “to get the manpower to do the roads.”

“I love our public works people. In a situation like this, it’s all hands on deck,” Coghill said.

He’s awaiting construction of a new public works campus in his district and is hoping the changes that are being implemented will help in the meantime. Trucks that plow and salt roads in his district now travel from the Strip District and western neighborhoods, he said.

“I’ll be making the argument that my district needs more people because of the hills,” Coghill said.

The changes he and Peduto discussed included updating the way the public works department is staffed and improvements to the online plow tracker system.

Peduto and Coghill worked with the Department of Public Works and union leaders, including Pittsburgh Joint Collective Bargaining Committee chairman Joseph Laquatra, to come up with the plans.

A new agreement was drafted to improve communication and detail how staff will be assigned during storms to make sure enough trucks are out to treat and clear the streets.

It includes a new mass texting and robocalls so workers are contacted and know about chances for overtime.

If enough people don’t volunteer for the overtime, workers will be assigned by reverse seniority. If enough staff isn’t available, the city will use private contractors.

There was a communication breakdown during the Christmas storm, and data from vehicles that were laying salt was not being shared to the plow tracking system, resulting in those vehicles not showing on the online map.

The problem has been fixed and trucks that are distributing salt will also show up on the tracking system, officials said.

The Snow Plow Tracker website has also been updated to advise users that not all plowing vehicles may be visible on the map when activated. The site was disabled Monday as it was being updated.

“Keeping our roads safe for all users during winter storms is a fundamental responsibility of city government,” Peduto said. “We will continue to use technology, best practices, and partnerships with our workforce and unions to provide the public the services they deserve.”

Coghill echoed those comments and said the changes that were made “will result in clear and direct improvement in snow treatment.”