Those responsible for clearing the City of Buffalo's streets say they are ready for winter. Mayor Byron Brown joined members of the city's Public Works, Parks and Streets Department to reveal new equipment which will join the existing snow-clearing inventory.
The city has spent nearly $1 million to acquire additional pieces of equipment including four new plows, two tractors and one high-rise. Additionally, the city has an estimated 9,000 tons of road salt readily available.
"The city snow-fighting crew consists of nearly 70 truck drivers, equipment operators and heavy equipment operators who will be called on to clear the more than 800 miles of Buffalo roads, if and when snow starts to accumulate," Mayor Byron Brown said inside the Broadway Garage.
The gathering to showcase new snow equipment was held on the eve of the season's first anticipated snowfall throughout the region. The city was not expected to receive significant accumulation but when the need arises to clear out heavy snowfall, Public Works, Parks and Streets Commissioner Steve Stepniak says most of it would be handled by tandem trucks.
"We've also added smaller pieces of equipment, like smaller plows like we have here today that get into some of those narrow residential streets," he said.
The city's snow fleet will also utilize a Global Positioning Network that includes 89 units, 81 of which are upgrades while the rest are new installations.
Mayor Brown says the city is committed to ensuring the public's safety but residents can play a part, too, beginning with their own properties.
"When it snows, we want people to make sure that you clear your sidewalks so that pedestrians can pass," Brown said. "And we want to make sure also that the alternate-side-of-the-street parking regulations are being observed."
