Plows, Melters Ready for Forecast Snowfall

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The New York Sun

City and state agencies prepared for snowfall yesterday as an offshore storm threatened to hit the tristate area.


The city’s Department of Sanitation had 350 salt-spreader trucks, with plows attached, loaded and ready to go, as well as more than 1,000 trucks with plows to be deployed if more than 2 inches of snow lands.


New York City Transit had six deicing trains ready to keep the subway tracks from freezing, as well as extra employees to clear snow from elevated platforms and station steps. A spokesman for the agency, Mark Gorce, said snow rarely covers the tracks.


The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has 160 melters, plows, and multi-use units that can plow, brush, and blow snow to clear the airports. It has 20 trucks with plows and spreaders stationed at the George Washington Bridge – the world’s busiest – and 48 other pieces of heavy snow equipment at the other bridges and tunnels.


Plow-equipped trains, a liquid snow melting agent, and a “jet engine” plow are used to remove snow from the tracks, roads, and station entrances that serve the authority’s PATH train.


Metro-North Railroad and Long Island Rail Road planned to run trains equipped to clear snow and frost from the tracks, as well as from the third rail or electricity wires. They each have heaters to keep their track-switches from freezing.


The city’s Department of Transportation suspended alternate side parking regulations today to make snow plowing easier. Parking meters remain in effect throughout the city.


The storm was expected to dump between 2 and 6 inches of snow on the city and its suburbs.


Up to 8 inches of snow were predicted for southern New Jersey, whose Department of Transportation has 600 snow plows ready and an additional 1,100 private trucks in reserve.


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