Snowstorm? 'SNO problem!

Township offers tips for safe, efficient snow removal

Make sure cars, mailboxes, trees and basketball hoops don't block plow trucks

By Andrea Iglar

Winter in Pennsylvania means shoveling, salting and plowing. In South Fayette, the Public Works Department operates 16 trucks to salt and plow township roads.

Residents and truck drivers can work together to help ensure safe, efficient snow removal.

Public Works employees load salt into the bed of a plow truck during a winter snowstorm in 2020.

Photo by Andrea Iglar

Here are some guidelines to help prepare for a snowstorm and approach snow removal:

Avoid Parking on Road

• Do not park any vehicles on roads or culs-de-sac.

Remove Obstacles

• Remove portable basketball hoops or other equipment that may be blocking the road or hanging above the roadway.

• Trim back any overgrown trees or vegetation.

Secure Mailboxes

• Ensure your mailbox does not extend over the edge of the road.

• As needed, repair your mailbox or post to withstand the force of snow pushed from the street onto the roadside. (The township repairs or replaces only mailboxes or posts that actually are struck by the plow blade.)

Shovel Smartly

• Shovel your driveway after the plow truck clears your road.

• Do not shovel snow into the road.

Keep Fire Hydrants Clear

• Clear snow from a 3-foot diameter around fire hydrants.

• Shovel a path between each hydrant and its nearest street.

Who plows and salts my road?

The agency responsible for plowing and salting each road depends on who owns the road.

South Fayette Township owns and maintains about 80 miles of local roadway, plus removes snow from about 15 miles of state roads through contractual agreements.

Individual owners maintain private roads.

Allegheny County Public Works maintains county-owned roads.

State-owned roads are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) or by South Fayette.

For more information about winter road maintenance, please visit southfayettepa.com/snow.