Frequently Asked Questions

The township, county or state may be responsible for repairing road issues or providing snow maintenance, depending on who owns and maintains the road.

South Fayette Township Roads

• Submit concerns about roads owned and/or maintained by South Fayette Township.

Allegheny County Roads

• Submit concerns about roads owned and/or maintained by Allegheny County Public Works.
• Find out which roads and bridges are maintained by Allegheny County Public Works and learn what issues the county can assist with.

Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT) Roads

• Submit concerns about roads owned and/or maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation, District 11.

South Fayette Township contains roadways that are owned and / or maintained by three separate political entities:

• South Fayette Township owns and maintains approximately 80 miles of local roadways within South Fayette, plus provides snow maintenance on 33 miles of state roads through contractual agreements.
• Allegheny County maintains the roads and bridges that it owns.
• State-owned roads and bridges are maintained by the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation (PennDOT), or they are maintained by South Fayette under a maintenance agreement.

Other streets are privately owned by individuals, developers and homeowner associations. All road owners are responsible for providing their own maintenance, such as paving, storm drain repair and snow plowing.

Report road concerns to the entity that owns or maintains the road.

Who treats my road for snow and ice?

State-owned roads treated by PennDOT

• State Route 50
• Washington Pike
• Boyce Road
• Mayview Road

State-owned roads treated by South Fayette Township Public Works

Any state roads that South Fayette maintains involves the portions located within South Fayette Township. Additions were made for the 2023-2024 snow season.

• Battle Ridge Road
• Kenneweg Avenue
• Millers Run Road
• Oakridge Road
• Presto-Sygan Road
• Robinson Run Road
• Union Avenue

County-owned roads treated by Allegheny County Public Works

• Thoms Run Road
• Seminary Avenue
• Multiple bridges

Township roads owned and treated by South Fayette Township Public Works

• All township-owned streets, alleys and roadways

If there is any question as to who maintains your street, please contact the township office or the Public Works Department.

Interactive Maps - Allegheny County

• Who treats my road for snow and ice?
• Who owns my road?
• Who maintains my park?

Let’s work together to ensure a safe, successful snow removal season. When snow is on the roads, please:

Avoid parking on road

• Do not park vehicles on roads or culs-de-sac.

Remove obstacles

• Remove portable basketball hoops or other equipment that is blocking the road or hanging above the road.
• Trim back any overgrown trees or vegetation.

Secure mailboxes

• Ensure your mailbox does not extend over the edge of the road.
• As needed, repair your mailbox or post to withstand the force of snow pushed from the street onto the roadside. (The township repairs or replaces only mailboxes / posts that are actually struck by the plow blade.)

Shovel smartly

• Shovel your driveway AFTER the snow plow clears your road.
• Do not shovel your snow into the road.
• When standing in your driveway facing the road, shovel to your right

Keep fire hydrants clear

• Clear a 3-foot diameter around fire hydrants.
• Shovel a path between the hydrant and the street.

You can report a road snow or ice issue through our 24-hour Citizen Request Tracker webpage.

Or call the township office at 412-221-8700 during regular hours. Tell us your name, phone number, address and nature of your problem. After hours, emergencies only can be reported to the police department by calling 9-1-1.

If you have any non-emergency questions or concerns about snow removal, please contact Public Works: 412-221-8700, ext. 223.

Public Works operates up to 17 snow removal vehicles to plow and salt.

Depending on the time, duration, and intensity of the storm, the department will have anywhere from 3 to 17 employees on the roads.

• Type of storm. Wet snow, fluffy snow, ice?
• Day of the week. Is it a work day? A weekend? A holiday? A school day?
• Hour of the day. Is it before morning rush hour or evening rush hour? Is it in the middle of the night?
• Expected severity of the storm. Quantity of snow expected? Duration expected?
• Availability of resources.
• Union contract requirements.
• Budgetary limitations.

South Fayette Township is divided into 17 routes, and each route is subdivided into primary and secondary routes.

Once notified of a storm emergency, the public works director or superintendent determines the number of workers needed and notifies the available employees, and then distributes the required routes.

Workers first clear and treat their assigned primary routes. After all primary routes are completed and passable, they proceed to their secondary routes. When drivers finish their assigned routes, they are dispatched to help with other routes. Primary routes sometimes require several trips before secondary routes can be started.

Primary routes include main arteries and roads that directly connect to them; school, municipal and emergency routes; and streets leading to a health care facilities.

Secondary routes are streets and culs-de-sac in housing developments, along with sparsely populated residential streets, less traveled country roads and community parks.

Public Works regards all roads in the township as important but prioritizes primary routes.

Winter operations occur year-round. Each season requires different tasks to be completed to achieve successful winter maintenance.

Spring

• Hold post-winter meeting
• Solicit public feedback
• Organize winter data
• Perform spring cleanup
• Conduct road field inspections
• Develop comprehensive snow plan of action

Summer

• Start to implement action plan
• Plan drainage work to eliminate ice problems
• Complete equipment and material storage building repairs
• Complete obstruction removal (lower manholes)
• Remedy action-prone areas
• Prepare bids and specifications for equipment and materials

Fall (Early)

• Place first order for salt and anti-skid materials
• Finalize snow agreement with neighbors
• Update snow map

Fall (Late)

• Inspect, prepare, and calibrate winter equipment
• Conduct employee winter training
• Discuss any new procedures with union
• Meet with school district officials
• Conduct dry runs of all snow routes

Winter

• Be prepared for first storm
• Conduct operational review during storm
• Review operations after the storm
• Complete and review all winter documentation