ORCHARD PARK, NY- For plow drivers in Western New York, the problem with Friday's snowfall wasn't so much the snow itself, it was the wind. There are 9 plow routes in Orchard Park - 9 plows - 18 crews and they were all working since 3:30 or 4:00 a.m. according to Highway Superintendent Fred Piasecki. They won't stop working, Piasecki says, until the snow stops.
In West Seneca, salt crews were called in at 4 a.m. Then all 34 workers for 17 plows were called in at 7 a.m. West Seneca Highway Superintendent Matt English said spots prone to drifting in the town are Angle Road, East and West, and Westgate Playground.
"The guys know on their own they go back and check those dangerous areas more frequent than they would on just a falling snow. With the wind blow it doesn't take long for the streets to get drifted in so they have to go back and check on them continuously," Superintendent English said.
And snow drifts are just as much as problematic for people shoveling as they are for plow drivers. "If you look over there, there's almost nothing and then I come down this way and I could barely walk in it," said West Seneca resident Phil Peluso as he was shoveling heavy, wet snow.
Every highway superintendent that 2 On Your Side spoke with Friday said every crew was on the job. They were also gratefully accepting the overtime that came with Friday's snowfall, to make up for the lack of plowing all season long.