55.0°,
Partly Cloudy Village of Rockville Centre works through another blizzard
Public Works Department has cleared most streets, currently plowing parking lots.
Village Administrator Frank Quigley said that the Department of Public Works was well-prepared to deal with the blizzard that dropped around a foot of snow in the village overnight and into this morning.
Quigley said the necessary cleanup equipment is now being used around the village's lots and streets. A brand new plow and pick-up truck were acquired and used for the latest snow removal job, which began in the early morning hours of Wednesday after 4 inches of snow fell.
"This is round two," Quigley said, referring to the second blizzard to hit the village in the last three weeks. "We're very motivated, full of energy and ready for the challenge... We expect a long day of work."
The village office is open today. But the Rockville Centre school district announced yesterday that schools were closed on Wednesday.
Some businesses in Rockville Centre, like Astoria Federal Savings Bank and Panera Bread, had to delay opening their doors until 10 a.m. On the LIRR, a normal evening commute is expected, but there could be some delays this afternoon.
"Conditions look fine right now..." Rockville Camera Owner Caron Lerner told the Herald this morning. "I think the village learned from the last storm."
During the December blizzard, some residents and business owners were outraged with the slow snow removal effort in the village. For that storm, the DPW experienced technical problems with equipment that hampered a more effective cleanup.
On Wednesday, the village anticipated that these problems wouldn't persist. Plow trucks and payloaders are currently running well and cleaning the municipal parking lots of excess snow.
Quigley mentioned that some lots and village streets –– especially those that were on dead ends –– still need to be revisited and plowed again, but that the DPW was doing a commendable job thus far. The village administrator graded the current effort somewhere between a B and B+.
Because of snow removal for the next couple of days, the village asks residents to park their cars off the streets and in their driveways. It also asks that residents not blow or move snow onto the streets.
Although snowfall ended this morning, the village anticipates some strong, gusty winds until 6 p.m. this evening.
"We should be thankful..." Quigley said. "Mother Nature was kind to us this time."
