TOBYHANNA, Pa. — These snow plows in the parking lot of the Tobyhanna Township municipal building have sat idle for the past year, but come this weekend, they'll be needed.
The township is getting its plow trucks ready with the incoming wintry weather.
"Trucks will be loaded by the end of today with cinders and salt, and we cover about 55 miles of roadway throughout the whole township. We'll bring the guys in somewhere around 2-3 inches and then plow throughout the storm until it's cleaned up," said Jimmy Rafferty, the township roadmaster.
Rafferty believes he and his crew will be out overnight Saturday into Sunday clearing roads.
"Make it safe, make it dry. Get everything off the roads so people can travel safely. It's going to be a 10 or 12-hour tour from there. Probably by noon the next day, it will be all cleaned up and done," said Rafferty.
After a pretty mild winter last year, the Tobyhanna Township roadmaster says this will be the first time in a while they're putting a dent in their salt pile.
"We didn't have much," Rafferty said. "We had a little bit in December, and we had some in March. Our January and February snow was obsolete, and hopefully, this year, winter will show up."
To get the roads cleared faster, Rafferty has one message to drivers.
"If you don't need to go out, stay home and let the plows do what they have to do. so it's just easier on everyone involved," Rafferty said.