New Jersey state Sen. Ronald Rice (D-Essex) has got a problem with municipal and contracted snow plow operators who push snow into driveway openings after they have been cleared or speed along snowy streets and risking striking pedestrians. The senator said Friday his office has received numerous complaints about the problems from constituents in Belleville, Bloomfield, Irvington and Newark’s West, South and Central wards. As a result, Rice said he will introduce legislation prohibiting contractors and snow plow operators from blocking driveways that have already been cleared and crackdown on drivers who speed.
“This is a matter of public safety,” he said. “Shoveling snow is strenuous activity, but when combined with the amount of snow we have gotten recently, and the fact that many of our senior citizens are forced to clear their own sidewalks and driveways, it can prove to be downright dangerous. My district office has received numerous complaints about the issue, and these snow plow operators need to know that they can’t block people’s driveways when clearing snow.
“We all know how long it takes to dig out a car after a snowstorm,” Rice added. “Consider what would happen in an emergency situation, when a person thinks his or her driveway is clear, after spending hours shoveling, only to come out in a hurry and find it blocked.
The legislation is expected to be referred to the Senate Transportation Committee when introduced. NJN
Umm.. How should they clear a wide path down a street without pushing snow to the sides? Vacuum Cleaners?
hmmmmm how do you clean streets that have cars parked all over them??????????
It’s very simple. You know how the leaf trucks scoop up the leaves and deposit them in a dumptruck? I would think that the same could be done with snow, and then dump each truckload in the lake/ocean/some empty field. It would just take a bit of thought. Or consult with our friends up North. I am sure some Canadians can tell us how they manage their snow!
By the way, where I grew up out of town I am almost sure that the town had small plows that cleared the sidewalks too! But (assuming my memory does not deceive me) I suppose they had lots of funds for that purpose.
in toronto when they clear the snow on the streets they have two snow plows going one after the other. one pushes all the snow to the
side of the street. and the other clears the driveways . they are very
adept at lifting and lowering the shovel as it passes each driveway. it is really cool to watch. my kids always wait for those trucks to come around after the snow has stopped completely.
clean your own sidewalk and forget about dumping in the lake—-you want to kill the environment, fish etc…..whats wrong with you???????
Be happy there cleaning the streets. Stop complaining
Finally someone stands up for our rights!
I noticed in downtown clifton they removed the snow from the sidewalks over shabos
in Canada they do it the best
hay thats my pic ur welcome lakewood scoop!!!
To # 9. Thank you!
I had a horible story this friday right before shabos I had to go to the mikva so my wife was waiting half an hour outside to tell the dpw snow removal truck not to block my driveway since it would be impossible for my children to go to shul and I wouldn’t have time to shovel it way since it was to close to shoboss all she had to do was for one minute raise the plow but the dpw worker refused and ignored my wife we must legally demonstrate to the dpw that we won’t stand for this.