Aging Plow Fleet Slows Pittsburgh Snow Removal After Weekend Storm
Key Takeaways
- Nearly 40% of Pittsburgh’s plow fleet broke down during the storm, delaying snow removal on local streets.
- City officials point to long-standing fleet age and maintenance issues, with roughly half of Public Works vehicles past their life cycle.
- Recent tax increases and new budget allocations are intended to address fleet deficiencies, but full replacement would require significant long-term investment.
Many roads in Pittsburgh remained snow-covered two days after a storm dropped nearly a foot of snow on the city, with officials attributing cleanup delays to breakdowns across the city’s aging plow fleet.
During the weekend storm, 37 of the city’s 95 plows broke down, according to TribLive. Many secondary and tertiary roads remained blanketed in snow as of Tuesday, with large piles still blocking street corners and parking lanes, Pittsburgh’s Public Source reported. While the city’s main roads were largely drivable by Tuesday afternoon, some streets had yet to see a plow, according to TribLive.
The equipment failures prompted Mayor Corey O’Connor to declare a state of emergency on Monday, allowing the city to quickly hire independent contractors to assist with snow removal, TribLive reported. The city brought in 50 contractor trucks to help remove snow piles obstructing traffic and parking.
The breakdowns come roughly a month after the Pittsburgh City Council voted to raise property taxes by 20% to help fund investments in the city’s vehicle fleet, according to Pittsburgh’s Public Source.
A November report from City Controller Rachel Heisler found that 58% of vehicles in the city’s Public Works Streets Division had exceeded their planned life cycle, and 41% of all Public Works vehicles were past their life cycle, Pittsburgh’s Public Source reported. TribLive reported that this represents roughly half of the city’s 1,300 vehicles.
Heisler noted that during a ride-along with a Public Works crew on Monday morning, one truck had to be taken out of service for at least 45 minutes due to a broken windshield wiper, according to Pittsburgh’s Public Source. TribLive reported additional issues including hydraulic pressure problems, flat tires, a dented plow that required a replacement plate and one plow bending incorrectly.
By Tuesday, the mayor’s office reported that 21 of the 37 disabled plows had been returned to service. Fifty city plows worked through Tuesday night alongside 25 contractor vehicles, according to TribLive.
City Council has allocated $20 million for fleet improvements in the 2026 budget and is considering legislation to make similar investments on an annual basis, TribLive reported. Heisler estimated that replacing the city’s full vehicle fleet would cost approximately $206 million over five years, according to Pittsburgh’s Public Source.
Sources: TribLive, Pittsburgh’s Public Source