Peduto: Pittsburgh needs to do ‘much better job' with snow removal

PITTSBURGH — Following complaints about snow-covered streets in the aftermath of this past weekend’s winter storm, Mayor Bill Peduto said Pittsburgh “clearly needs to do a much better job.”

North Side resident Sharlene Dominick had a more blunt assessment.

"Fix it before somebody gets hurt," she told Channel 11.

RELATED: Residents frustrated with snow-covered streets days after storm

Peduto spoke to Channel 11 on Tuesday and said the city "messed up" its reaction to the weekend snowfall.

"Once you get behind in a snowstorm, you never catch up," he said.

In a statement Tuesday, Peduto addressed the issue and said his administration will take immediate action.

"Our workers did their best, working around the clock for days, but we need to give them and our residents the tools to provide better service and support in the future,” he said.

TRENDING NOW:

• No injuries reported when school bus crashes with students on board
• SWAT situation in Youngwood ends with suspect shooting himself
• School and Business Closing Alerts
• RAW VIDEO: Ligonier school evacuation

As for the changes his administration will make to winter weather procedures, Peduto said the first step will be to invest in more road salt and liquid calcium chloride, and study ways to improve the chemical composition of ice-fighting materials used by the Department of Public Works.

Peduto said while most streets throughout the city were treated with salt and chemicals, low temperatures and other factors prevented them from being fully effective.

Another action Peduto said his administration will take is working with the Department of Innovation and Performance to increase public presence on nights and weekends, and ensure complaints are received, responded to and routed to the appropriate city officials.

The next measure involves the Department of Public Works and meeting with partners to get more drivers on the streets, particularly on weekends, nights and holidays.

He told Channel 11 the city isn't laying all the blame on Public Works crews who didn't show up for work, but their absences definitely played a big role.

"When you don't have people in trucks, then you don't have trucks on the street," he said. "When you don't have trucks on the street, you fall behind. Snow gets compacted, compacted snow becomes ice and you end up with situations that are dangerous."

Peduto said he plans to review the city’s contract with Public Works employees and meet with union leaders Wednesday to see what percentage of the city's Public Works workforce can be counted on when needed .

He told Channel 11 that, at the peak of the storm, there were 40 to 50 salt and plow trucks on the road, and that wasn't enough.

“It wasn’t the workers' fault; the ones who showed up weren’t given resources so they could succeed," he said,

Dominick agreed.

"Our days cant stop cause they aren't doing their job," she said.

Union officials with Local 249 aren’t taking the blame, instead telling Channel 11 workers were denied overtime.

"Instead of blaming the city drivers working around the clock, they should maybe look at supervisors for not being adequate, even a lack of equipment," union officials said.

Cox Media Group