PITTSBURGH — Neighbors in Pittsburgh are sounding off on city administration, saying the Department of Public Works broke its promise after Saturday’s snowfall wreaked havoc for drivers.
When the city and DPW outlined its winter weather plan of attack in a news conference on Friday, officials claimed to be ready, but when the snow quickly moved in less than 24 hours later many people said roads were not salted or plowed until late in the day.
>>> Pittsburgh Department of Public Works outlines winter weather plan of attack
Cars were stuck on ice on Negley Avenue in Squirrel Hill. Others were sliding and crashing. One car flipped upside down and ended up in a ditch.
>>> Drivers struggle with snow in Pittsburgh
Will Anderson said he woke up to a thick sheet of ice on his street in Homewood.
“Public Works said how prepared they were, they’re definitely ready for any snow, anything that happens, they’re definitely prepared, so I was flabbergasted to walk out my door to see my entire street covered in ice and snow,” he said.
Others frustrated with the city posted on social media, saying streets were not salted that morning until hours later.
One person wrote, “Crews were not called in until 10 a.m.” Another person said the same thing, showing a picture of a car that slammed into a telephone pole.
One woman said her street in Squirrel Hill was finally salted 48 hours after the snow stopped falling.
Channel 11′s Antoinette DelBel asked Anderson, “Do you think the city dropped the ball?”
Anderson said, “They dropped the ball. They threw a pick-six. They fumbled.”
Channel 11 took that same question to City Councilman Khari Mosley of District 9.
DelBel asked, “A lot of people are saying the city drop the ball. What do you think?”
“I can’t necessarily say that,” Mosley said.
Mosley said he was in constant contact with DPW’s director Saturday morning and afternoon letting him know about trouble spots.
“I was collecting information as well as driving around my district and getting photos as well as streets to Director Hornstein and I know he was dispatching trucks,” Mosley said.
Councilwoman Barb Warwick said in a statement she was doing the same thing.
The statement reads:
“The sudden snowfall on Saturday was certainly a challenge. The very low temps combined with wet snow resulted in a sudden freeze on the roads and then refreezing through the rest of the day. It meant that a number of main arteries and emergency routes needed salting multiple times, which meant it took longer than usual to get to the smaller streets. For my district, I can say that I was in constant communication with Division 3 and, except for a handful of streets, everything was treated within 24 hours of when the snow stopped falling. Bad weather around the holidays can be really frustrating and it’s scary to get caught in the middle of it when you’re driving. I’m just really grateful to our DPW crews who came out and worked their butts off to get the streets cleared as quickly as possible.”
Some aren’t convinced, saying DPW didn’t follow through on its winter weather plan of attack.
“They again broke their promise to the community and put lives at risk,” Anderson said.
Councilman Mosley said anyone in the city can text his office letting them know about untreated streets.
“Please contact the District 9 text number 412-239-9990 and our office will be in direct contact with the Department of Public Works,” he said. “If there are streets that are not treated, we will make sure to get trucks out there immediately.”
Channel 11 reached out to DPW and the city on Saturday and again on Monday for comment and have still not heard back.
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