The city of Syracuse did not have enough snowplow drivers available to respond to a fast-falling snowstorm Friday night and Saturday morning, officials said.
“The response did not meet our standard of performance and we are taking immediate steps to correct it,” Public Works Commissioner Jeremy Robinson told syracuse.com.
At least four inches of snow fell Friday night and early Saturday morning. Snow combined with ice and sleet. Govt. Kathy Hochul declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm.
Many of the city’s streets had not been plowed Saturday morning, according to the city’s website, which allows residents to track traffic on each street every five minutes.
Syracuse.com readers have reported difficulty navigating steep hills and side streets in nearly every neighborhood. Even the streets around City Hall were covered in heavy snow hours after the storm ended.
Robinson said early forecasts called for lighter snowfall. He said the public works department was not sending out shifts, resulting in fewer drivers than anticipated.
He said crews are now working to clear the roads.
“We are reallocating resources to prioritize the most critical routes first,” he said.
In the future, the city will send more shifts during thunderstorms, he said.
The city also needs to hire more snowplow drivers, he said.
The city has 26 snow plows.
Earlier this month, Mayor Ben Walsh unveiled the newest three plows and announced their names: “Blizzard Beater,” “Salt City Express” and “Below Zero Hero.”
The new plows cost $250,000 each and took two years to build.
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