Pittsburgh mayor says some snow plows repaired, contractors working to clear streets
So the update is we have overnight shift. We’ll have 50 city vehicles out plowing and salting. We have over 25+ contracted vehicles that are out. We also signed on two more contractors to come in for the overnight and morning shifts tomorrow. Um, we did repair about 20 of our vehicles that were shut down, trying to get them back online and getting drivers in to get out there as quick as we can. Um, as we said in *** number of posts, garbage collection will be canceled for the remainder of this week. Um, it’s going to start back up as it would your regular days on Monday, you’re going to be on Monday. Uh, we also will have our heating, uh, our warming centers open throughout the, the week, and we keep posting the times for those. Any idea how much snow has been removed from this? I mean, I could, I could tell you just the contractors that I saw today in Garfield said, and this was at 11 a.m. this morning, they removed 100 tons from, you know, 5 or 6 blocks. So, you know, we know they’re hauling as much out as they can just to help us clear and you know now it’s just getting spots that we missed when we were out plowing and then. Again, I think the biggest concern we have is trying to get the snow out and hauling it as best we can because, you know, the freezing temperatures, it’s not melting anytime soon. So you’re going to see contractors working around the clock to clear as much out as we can. *** lot of the main roads obviously still messy driving in. Any idea when we’re going to start being able to go over again with, you know, secondary roads, neighborhoods that say they’ve only seen *** plow once. Yeah, I mean, I think we’ve been in the secondaries most of today. Most of our main drags are drivable. We still say, you know, we’re getting to those pockets that we haven’t hit, and we’re not just sending one truck in time. We’re sending two or three at once, trying to coordinate efforts because we are seeing on the map where we have missed spots and picking up loose ends. And I think this afternoon we got pretty good grip on that and moved forward in *** lot of areas that hadn’t been touched, but we still know we have *** lot of work to do and we’re trying to get there as quick as we can, and I think having contractors come in and help is definitely beneficial, and when they, if *** contractors in your area, I mean they’re not just clearing the street, I mean they’re opening up lanes and hauling. *** lot of the excess snow out. How’s that determine like what neighborhoods you’re hitting first to remove the snow? I mean, it’s just, you know, we are looking at where we need help in certain divisions, where it’s piled up, business districts, you know, various things like that so you can open up more parking for individuals to come in and out, employees to get to work, those types of things. Any idea how long did they give you an estimate on how long? No, I mean, you know, again, our heavy equipment and garage are staying open to try to get our equipment back out there, but I think having the contractors is helpful and then adding *** couple more tonight will be even more helpful. But you know our public works division continues to go. Our 311 lines are. Open credit to them. They have been obviously taking *** lot of calls and they’re trying to answer as quick as they can as well, and we’re trying to keep you as informed as possible. Again, garbage pickup had to be moved, you know, for *** full week next week like it would regularly be scheduled. Are there any precautions? Anything the city is doing because of the subzero weather that we’re planning to get in the near future? Yes, I mean, I think, you know, trying to get ahead of it and getting as much removed as we possibly can is one thing, but also, you know, safety is *** priority and we want people to be safe. We’re having our warming stations open as long as we can, but. We tell everybody, you know, please be safe. Dangerous conditions, especially with wind chills, we know are subzero at this point and are going to last for *** couple of days. I think Saturday might even be the worst. So you know we’re still not over with cleaning and keeping people safe with the weather being as bad as you were just saying, any issues with With EMS, fire, police, any serious issues of that nature, you know, we’ve been communicating. We have not seen issues. You know, I was actually just at *** firehouse where some of the tracks on their tires were being replaced, the chains that they’ve put on the tires, so they’re keeping up with maintenance as best they can. We’re cleaning, obviously those are priorities. Make sure that the roads around our police, fire, and EMS stations are clear so that they can get in and out in case of an emergency. Sounds like *** lot of stuff might reopen tomorrow. Just, you know, yes, I mean we’re going to be open in the city. Yes, I mean, I think, you know, we, you know, I can’t speak for the schools. I think that’s more on the temperature than what we’re seeing. but we are open in the city tomorrow and you know we plan to be here throughout. I mean we’ve been here. Our office has been here throughout, but, but I think, you know, we plan on opening up the city people, I mean, again, be safe tomorrow. Give yourself *** little bit more time. Some of the lanes are not fully two lanes like they usually are, so you know if you see. You know, snow and you know just drive *** little more cautiously. Please get to the main roads as fast as you can. Don’t take any chances if you’re not sure of *** road or *** turning lane that might look icy. You know, Again, please take your time out there, be safe. Safety is the number one priority. That’s why we’re bringing all hands on deck at this point. You know, we’re not worried about costs. We’re worried about making sure people are safe. Have there been any pipes or anything like water mains that have been broken because of the, there were, uh, the first day I’d have to go back and check the time, but I believe it was late Sunday night, Monday morning, uh, Penn Avenue had *** break, saw *** sinkhole. Today and you know when we’re in our command center, I mean we have security cameras up on intersections so we can see what’s happening on *** lot of key intersections. We did see, you know, some of the water main breaks, but nothing to the extent, I mean *** leak here, *** leak there, but nothing. That we’ve seen in the past, some of the sidewalks obviously are still very icy just right out here. What’s kind of the status of trying to make sure you know pedestrians, when the city opens, people walking around trying to get to their offices? Yes, I mean, we encourage, you know, if you’re *** property owner in *** business district, you know, I know we’re pushing our snow angel program as best we can. We got *** couple more calls about it today, so you know if you can help *** neighbor clear out their sidewalk, their driveway, please do. And we have *** lot of Pittsburghers sending us texts that they’re doing that and I think that’s great to see our city sort of coming together. But again, downtown, you know, business owners, property owners downtown, you know, please take care of your sidewalks so that it’s walkable for residents. I know. We’ve had our parks division and I see, you know, partnering with the county on bridges as well, making sure that they’re passable as well. And some of the, you know, neighborhoods with narrower streets where *** plow cannot fit down it, you know, we have seen some, you know, smaller vehicles. What’s kind of the status there of maybe trying to get down some of those smaller streets with the contractors? Yes, I mean, I think, you know, those contractors have smaller vehicles, different equipment, so, you know, utilizing. The tools that we have at our disposal over the next 24 hours plus just trying to get to everybody as best we can and every street in the city. And again, I know we had hit some early and you know when the storm came so quickly, it just kept piling up and we’re trying to get back and retrace our steps at this point. Any next big step that you need to focus on? I mean, I think you know obviously the hauling is important. I think salting. It is going to be very important. We’ve got another delivery of salt this afternoon, staying on top of that because there are going to be some slick spots where we couldn’t get everything of snow off the road and it’s going to turn icy with the freezing temperatures. So trying to get everybody back out to again salt and treat the roads as best we can. I know you guys are in the thick of it now in terms of like dealing with the present issues, but do you have any plans? And if so, what are they to deal with the broken down salt trucks so it doesn’t happen in the future? Yeah, I mean, that’s obviously *** long term strategy and *** plan either looking at, you know, partnerships or, you know, looking at the city budget and capital and things like that. And I also think, you know, it’s good, you know, once this is all over, get all division leaders in our office with PW with Department of Public Works and talk about, you know, missteps, how we could do better, what’s more. Efficient, you know, are we doing main roads, like how are we organizing our routes *** little bit? Obviously now it’s, it’s kind of pick and choose. Let’s get the ones that we missed, which I think we did hit. It’s now going back on our original routes right now. So what’s the salt supply right now? Sorry, same question. No, I was just going to ask. Like how many, how many vehicles that were down yesterday are back up? Any ideas? So yeah, we, we had, I believe, 27 were, were, were put back in today. Um, so that’s good. Now again, I mentioned there’s 50 overnight. That number is going to fluctuate because we are not on the standard shifts anymore with our, with our PWA our public works employees. We’re now doing various shifts at this point. I was just asking the salt supply, what is that looking like, you know, right now we’re comfortable. I mean, we had 8000 tons and *** delivery Friday before. The storm hit us and then we just got another delivery today, so I think our numbers are solid, but again we have to make sure we get to these roads quickly and treat them because with the subzero temperatures it’s going to start freezing. Any idea how costly this will be, you know, Corey, with overtime and everything? Did not even think about it. You know, Obviously we know the city’s financial concerns, but when it comes to safety and priority, you know there’s no number we’re not going to hit to make sure our city. Safe and our residents are safe. We’ll handle that conversation after, but our priority is safety right now. And what’s your message to residents who still are snowed in, don’t feel like they can get their cars out, get to work tomorrow? Yes, again, we are, we are monitoring. We see that there are streets that haven’t been hit. We’re deploying all of our resources to you. I mean, we see it. We also hear from residents. I don’t know how everybody in the city has my cell phone, but I think that they do. Um, but I, I think that’s just constant communication, you know, 311 line, you know, credit to them. They have been. Hit hard over the last couple of days, so I know people have been on hold often, but that’s why we’re trying to keep as much communication with the public as we can right now. Is there any websites like, I know Snow Tracker, Snow plow Tracker was down. Is that up again or anything like that? So we have, we put out *** new website the other day, PittsburghPA.gov, and it’ll show you, not in real time where your, your plow trucks are. And again, now that we have contractors, they’re not. to register on our data. So you know, *** lot of times we might get *** call and *** contractor might be there that we can’t see, but we are coordinating with them to know what streets that they’re on. But Plow Tracker, when we got here, hasn’t worked in over *** year, and you know shame on us for not fixing it *** year plus ago. But now it’s our job to try to make sure that the technology gets up and running as quick as we can so we can keep people informed of what’s happening.
Pittsburgh mayor says some snow plows repaired, contractors working to clear streets
Updated: 6:07 PM EST Jan 27, 2026
With many Pittsburgh streets still unplowed after a massive weekend snowstorm, Mayor Corey O’Connor gave an update Tuesday on snow removal efforts across the city.Watch the full video aboveO’Connor says there is no timeline right now for when all roads will be clear, but he says they are getting a better picture of where the process stands.The mayor said 27 snow plows were fixed overnight. Fifty city plows and salt trucks will be on the overnight shift Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, aided by 25 more contractor vehicles. Two more contractors have been hired for the overnight shift Wednesday as well as the morning shift, he said.”The contractors that I saw today in Garfield said – and this was at 11 a.m. this morning – they removed 100 tons from five or six blocks, so we know they’re hauling as much out as they can, just to help us clear, and now it’s just getting spots that we missed when we were out plowing,” O’Connor said.As the big dig-out continues, temperatures will remain frigid this week. Pittsburgh’s Action Weather meteorologists said highs will only reach the mid-teens on Wednesday, and by the end of the week, Pittsburgh could challenge record lows on Friday and Saturday. The record for both days is -5 degrees in 2019.”I think the biggest concern we have is trying to get the snow out and hauling it as best we can because of the freezing temperatures,” O’Connor said. “It’s not melting anytime soon.”Many city residents have told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that their street has only seen a plow once since the storm, or not at all. We asked O’Connor about the contractor vehicles, which are a different size than city trucks, and if that will help on narrow roads where plows can’t fit.”I think those contractors have smaller vehicles, different equipment, so utilizing the tools that we have at our disposal over the next 24 hours-plus, just trying to get to everybody as best we can and every street in the city,” O’Connor said. “I know we had hit some early, and when the storm came so quickly, it just kept piling up.”Pittsburgh’s snow plow tracker, which had been down for a year, is partially working again for this storm. It’s running about 15 minutes behind, and it only shows city trucks, not contractor vehicles hired by the city. The 311 phone line also remains in operation for snow removal questions and needs.”Now that we have contractors, they’re not going to register on our data. So a lot of times we might get a call, and a contractor might be there that we can’t see, but we are coordinating with them to know what streets that they’re on,” O’Connor said.Garbage and recycling pickup in the city is suspended this week. Collections are expected to resume on their normal days beginning Monday.
PITTSBURGH —
With many Pittsburgh streets still unplowed after a massive weekend snowstorm, Mayor Corey O’Connor gave an update Tuesday on snow removal efforts across the city.
Watch the full video above
O’Connor says there is no timeline right now for when all roads will be clear, but he says they are getting a better picture of where the process stands.
The mayor said 27 snow plows were fixed overnight. Fifty city plows and salt trucks will be on the overnight shift Tuesday night into Wednesday morning, aided by 25 more contractor vehicles. Two more contractors have been hired for the overnight shift Wednesday as well as the morning shift, he said.
“The contractors that I saw today in Garfield said – and this was at 11 a.m. this morning – they removed 100 tons from five or six blocks, so we know they’re hauling as much out as they can, just to help us clear, and now it’s just getting spots that we missed when we were out plowing,” O’Connor said.
As the big dig-out continues, temperatures will remain frigid this week. Pittsburgh’s Action Weather meteorologists said highs will only reach the mid-teens on Wednesday, and by the end of the week, Pittsburgh could challenge record lows on Friday and Saturday. The record for both days is -5 degrees in 2019.
“I think the biggest concern we have is trying to get the snow out and hauling it as best we can because of the freezing temperatures,” O’Connor said. “It’s not melting anytime soon.”
Many city residents have told Pittsburgh’s Action News 4 that their street has only seen a plow once since the storm, or not at all. We asked O’Connor about the contractor vehicles, which are a different size than city trucks, and if that will help on narrow roads where plows can’t fit.
“I think those contractors have smaller vehicles, different equipment, so utilizing the tools that we have at our disposal over the next 24 hours-plus, just trying to get to everybody as best we can and every street in the city,” O’Connor said. “I know we had hit some early, and when the storm came so quickly, it just kept piling up.”
Pittsburgh’s snow plow tracker, which had been down for a year, is partially working again for this storm. It’s running about 15 minutes behind, and it only shows city trucks, not contractor vehicles hired by the city. The 311 phone line also remains in operation for snow removal questions and needs.
“Now that we have contractors, they’re not going to register on our data. So a lot of times we might get a call, and a contractor might be there that we can’t see, but we are coordinating with them to know what streets that they’re on,” O’Connor said.
Garbage and recycling pickup in the city is suspended this week. Collections are expected to resume on their normal days beginning Monday.