Bensalem Ready To Tackle Weekend Storm

BENSALEM TOWNSHIP, PA —If it snows, the township's public works department is ready to go.

Most municipalities haven't had to deal with snow for some time over the past year or so, but with this weekend's forecast, towns like Bensalem Township are springing to action.

"I don't think this will be much of a storm," Bensalem Township Public Works Director Tim Schultz told Patch Friday. "But we have to be ready to ensure public safety."

Schultz said the township has more salt and sand on hand —over 4,000 tons —than at any other time in its history. And he has it stashed everywhere.

He said the township has two salt domes which both hold 1,500 tons of salt a piece. Then he has 500 tons stored for emergency purposes at Firefighters Field.

Then, through the township's relationship with the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, has another 600 tons stored in a nearby PennDOT facility.

"We are filled to the gills with salt," Schultz said. He's monitoring the weekend storm on numerous weather apps and outlets.

While the township has 144 miles of roads, Schultz said that is misleading when it comes to plowing. He said that since plots go up and down a road, the amount the public works department handles for a storm is more like nearly 300 miles.

He said that every public works truck the township owns can plow a road.

The department has 18 large trucks, and 10-15 smaller dump trucks. Schultz can add contractors, but won't have any for this weekend's storm.

According to the National Weather Service in Mount Holly, a coastal system will bring widespread precipitation to the Lower Bucks County and Philadelphia region starting Saturday.

Snow and some mixed precipitation will occur northwest of Interstate 95 on Saturday evening, the weather service said.

Wintry weather is likely for the area as the system moves into the region on Saturday into Sunday.

Precipitation is expected to begin late Saturday morning or early afternoon, and then taper off overnight. Some lingering light rain or snow is possible Sunday morning.

About 1-3 inches of snow, mixing with or changing over to rain or sleet at times is projected for northwest of the Interstate 95 corridor through the Interstate 78 corridor.

Mainly rain is expected near and southeast of Interstate 95 but may begin or end as wet snow near Interstate 95 with little to no accumulation.

Heavy rainfall is forecast across the region with the heaviest amounts possible closer to the coast. Localized flooding of low-lying and poor drainage areas remains possible, the weather service said.