Allentown Beefs Up Snow Removal Crews

ALLENTOWN, PA (WTXF) - Allentown has reached out to private contracting crews to help remove the record amounts of snow it received over the weekend. This will allow the city to expand its cleanup operations. City officials are asking residents to be patient as the process continues.

Front end loaders and dump trucks showed up late Tuesday night at 7th and Washington Street. City officials say they're private contractors brought in to help expand snow removal operations around Allentown. Blocks of 7th Street were supposed to be cleared Monday. Signs were posted warning people to move their cars.

"It's Tuesday and they haven't done nothing at all," said one man. Workers inside a barbershop on 7th Street say the plows never came and that hampered business and inconvenienced customers like Julien Rodriguez.

"Like the barber said, not a lot of people coming to get a haircut. We have nowhere to park. They lost a lot of business I know," said Rodriguez.

Jose Santiago says his neighborhood couldn't wait any longer.

"All the neighbors we all got together and shoveled the whole street to be able to get our vehicles out," said Santiago. He said his street near 16th and West was supposed to be cleared yesterday.

"No sign of the plows," he said.

The convoy of trucks hauling away snow are scheduled to hit a list of streets 7:00 Wednesday morning and again 7:00 at night.
Nashira Stevens and her family left the car parked and walked to the store.

"It's horrible. There's snow everywhere on the sidewalks and on the streets." She hopes relief will come soon.

"It's Tuesday. I kind of thought it was going to be way better than this by now," she said.