Village Continues Snow Removal, Clearing Blocked Storm Drains

The Village of Lindenhurst Department of Public Works spent Sunday plowing, sanding and salting the streets, as well as clearing storm drains blocked by snow.

Catching Up
"We caught up on most everything, and concentrated a lot on the parking lots - the LIRR lot, Village Hall, Rainbow Center - and we're working heavily on Wellwood Avenue," Ray Fais, emergency manager for the Village, told Lindenhurst Patch on late Sunday afternoon.

"We're looking to get the center of the Village better than it is. We have to make sure the crossings are clear for the kids for school, and get everything all clear," he said.

Indeed, tomorrow begins another work week, and as of late Sunday afternoon Lindenhurst Schools will be opening on schedule, despite the new freezing rain advisory for the Monday morning commute the National Weather Service also issued on late Sunday afternoon.

"Our guys will be out tomorrow clearing any storm drains that are blocked by snow while the crews we have from the Suffolk County Department of Labor and the contractors we have specifically for Hurricane Sandy debris removal continue with that," Fais said.

Resident Reaction
Many residents in the Village - like in many communities across Suffolk and especially the farther East one goes - have voiced frustration over snow removal, and many felt the job by the Village's DPW wasn't as good as it should've been.

Many shared on Lindenhurst Patch's Facebook page on Saturday and Sunday that their roads haven't been plowed yet, or plowed well or at all. And they complained about the state of Wellwood Avenue, some saying it was a "skating rink."

Blizzard Prep and Cleanup
The Village started prepping for the storm on Thurday. And, according to Fais, the DPW crews were out since 7:30 a.m. on Friday morning ahead of the blizzard working to clear storm drains in the Village.

Then, as the rain turned to snow and the winds kicked into high gear, they were out overnight into Saturday clearing snow.

Fais said on Saturday wetness and weight of the snow made it hard to plow overnight Friday into Saturday during the height of the blizzard.

"We had some trouble keeping up with the snow. We could hardly see, and the snow was very wet, and so were the roads, so we had trouble pushing the snow," he said.

He also explained "the quick freeze" of the slush that accumulated on late Friday afternoon when the rain changed to snow further complicated matters.

There were also some streets that flooded during the storm that made it hard for trucks to get to in order to plow.

But once the blizzard conditions subsided and the tides receded on Saturday morning, crews, Fais said, were out catching up until the icing that came naturally as temperatures dropped below freezing at sunset.

Sunday came, and the crews were back out plowing, sanding and salting.

And since the roads were still slippery on Sunday, "we'll have salters out until later tonight," Fais said.

Snow-Related Issues
As for residents who are still having some plowing-related issues, Fais said the DPW was out there in the streets Saturday and Sunday.

"We're doing the best we can with what we have. And we're working to make the roads passable and safe for everyone," he said.

Residents still having non-emergency, snow-related issues could call the DPW at 631-957-7520 or Village Hall at 631-957-7500 on Monday morning.

For those residents who called the DPW number and got no answer, the DPW number had been manned through the storm right through Saturday, but not on Sunday, Fais noted.

"We had one woman out with the flu, one on vacation and one woman who was there for 36 hours straight, so we sent her home," he said.

Related Coverage:

• Freezing Rain Forecast for Mon. Morning Commute
• Near-Normal LIRR Service But Some Suspensions Remain
• UPDATE: All Sunday Southwest Flights Canceled at MacArthur Airport
• State Sends Extra Snow Removal Help
• Snowfall Totals in Lindy for Feb. 8 Blizzard
• Snow Removal Leads to Sunday LIE Shutdown
• In Babylon Town Some Wait for Plows
• Post-Blizzard Weekend Forecast: Feb. 9-10
• MAP: How Much Snow Has Fallen in Lindenhurst?
• Lindy Residents Recall '78 Blizzard as New Storm Hits
• Noreaster Brings Blizzard Warning for Suffolk County 
• Blizzard Emergency Contact List for Lindy Residents
• 10 Ways to Use Patch During a Blizzard

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