Shaler's public works crew applauded for keeping roads safe during winter months

During the winter months, it is easy to spot where the work of Shaler’s public works crew begins and ends.

That has produced hundreds of compliments on social media during January’s winter weather, with many of those messages citing the crew’s consistency and the difference in road quality compared to surrounding areas.

“Without a doubt, they’re the best in the county,” Shaler Commissioner Frank Iozzo said. “We get compliments constantly from residents.”

The crew’s quality, Iozzo said, is because Shaler’s drivers are out “to a fault” during winter storms.

Stephanie Mulkerin has lived on Foundry Street, off steep Sharps Hill Road, for 17 years. She said in all that time, the roads have been very well maintained. Now that her son is driving to school, she said she worries about the roads during early mornings.

But she said the Shaler Public Works Department is “always here and always taking care of us.”

“We’re up between 5:30 and 6 a.m., and I know by that point that I’ve already heard trucks going past,” Mulkerin said.

The safety of students is one of the main concerns for the road crews, according to Anthony Zelina, director of public works.

When plowing and salting the township’s roads, Zelina said there are four main priorities for routes: main roads, hills, intersections and school bus routes.

In addition to standard roads, Zelina said crews also maintain county and state routes throughout the township, which leaves them with 125 to 150 miles to monitor. The only roads not maintained by his crews are Route 8 and Saxonburg Boulevard, he said.

Zelina, who has headed the department since 2013, said the township is maintained by 16 standard maintenance routes, four auxiliary trucks and two in-house mechanics.

“Every one of them is an integral part of the whole operation,” he said. “Basically, at the end of the day, they’re my heroes.”

A normal public works shift runs from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m., but in a storm, that could be extended for many hours, he said.

By the end of the season, Zelina said he and his crew often feel like meteorologists as they try to divine the “personality” of each new storm.

This year is Tom Bursick’s 11th winter with Shaler’s public works department. After more than a decade caring for the township’s roads, he said almost every storm really is different.

His standard route begins on the steep and windy Wetzel Road, near the public works garage, and covers much of the area near Shaler Area High School and Bauerstown Volunteer Fire Department closer to Millvale. Bursick said there is almost always a hill, bend or narrow street he has to manage.

The longtime driver said Wetzel Road, because of its “busy and bendy” character, constantly stays on his mind. That is in addition to smaller challenges such as the narrow, wooded Marvin Street, a hilly one-way with a small bridge over Girty’s Run.

“There’s always something on your mind no matter where you’re at on your route,” Bursick said. “You’re always trying to get to the next spot.”

In particularly bad ice storms, Bursick said he has had to run his route entirely in reverse so the salt distributor — located on the back of the truck — can give his tires traction to move safely.

Over the years, he said he has encountered plenty of close calls and lengthy shifts, but the longtime Shaler resident said he “just wants everyone to be safe.” The work of maintaining the roads, Bursick said, must be completed whether there are 16 drivers or six running several routes.

“It’s kind of hard to describe, but you’re always thinking about someone else,” he said.

After a long winter, Bursick said he looks forward to being in his excavator during the summer.

The reason for Shaler’s “well-oiled” public works department, Zelina said, is a cooperative Board of Commissioners and the commitment of his drivers and foremen.

Even in the off-season, Zelina said he starts to think about the township’s salt supply and winter preparations in July. He said drivers also will perform reconnaissance to see how route conditions, such as lower tree branches or residents’ parking habits, could affect their work come winter.

The director said he appreciates the public taking notice, saying he often sees comments on social media and receives cards and emails filled with praise.

“Our residents are like no other; they are genuinely appreciative,” Zelina said. “They’re wonderful — it’s like an extended family you’re working for.”