PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Philadelphia city officials are getting ready for the first storm of the season.
City Managing Director Tumar Alexander said the storm is expected to begin between 1 and 3 p.m. Wednesday.
“The snow will likely impact Wednesday evening and Thursday morning commutes, another thing to keep in mind is that temperatures are expected in the 30s Thursday through Sunday. Temperatures near freezing could impact how quickly snow will melt and will certainly impact our snow operations' ability to quickly clear snow and ice,” Alexander explained.
Alexander said crews will continue working until streets are passable.
Philadelphia Streets Commissioner Carlton Williams said the department is ready and expects “100 pieces of equipment” to be mobilized in the beginning of the snow storm. He said crews will focus on primary and secondary streets, bridges and higher elevations.
Williams said crews began brining operations Tuesday morning and salting will begin Wednesday. The city has 50,000 tons of salt available.
Wednesday’s trash and recycling collections will still be picked up, but collection schedules for Thursday and Friday are still being evaluated. Williams said if schedules change, an announcement will be made Wednesday.
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He also reminded residents they should not shovel or plow snow into the streets because it is illegal and hinders snow operations. Sidewalks should be cleared within six hours after the storm stops.
Scott Sauer, assistant general manager of operations at SEPTA, said most scheduled service will be able to operate Wednesday morning and afternoon. But as the storm intensifies, riders should expect disruptions.
SEPTA’s emergency operation center will open at noon.
Liz Hersh, head of the Office of Homeless Services, said shelters will be open 24/7.
“Nobody will be asked to leave during the day, we do not require ID to come in, there’s no drug testing, you don’t have to prove your citizenship. We just want people to come in and stay safe, get three meals a day, we do have beds,” she said.
If you see a homeless person, you can call the Outreach Coordination Center at 215-232-1984 to get shelter for that individual.