Pittsburgh declares state of emergency as dozens of snowplows break down

Pittsburgh Mayor Corey O’Connor on Monday declared a state of emergency as the city struggled to clear its streets of roughly a foot of snow with dozens of snowplows out of commission.

The declaration allows the city to bypass approval by City Council and labor unions as it calls in private contractors to augment the city’s workforce.

Outside crews will help treat roads that remain blanketed in a thick layer of snow after a massive snowstorm Sunday dropped up to 14 inches or more in parts of the county.

Allegheny County Executive Sara Innamorato followed suit several hours later, issuing her own disaster declaration.

The mayor did not immediately say how many additional plows will be deployed as part of the effort.

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