Politics & Government

Town: Light Snow, Strong Winds Made Plowing Difficult

Smithtown Highway Supervisor said all town roads should be passable.

Soft, powder-like snow and gusting winds left Town of Smithtown's Highway Department crews second-guessing which roads had yet to be plowed after Winter Storm Hercules.   

Smithtown Highway Supervisor Glenn Jorgensen said all town roads are in "very good" shape as of 3 p.m. Friday afternoon, but only after a long night of battling against Mother Nature. 

"It was a tough night with a lot of wind and snow. Only now that the snow has stopped and winds have calmed down we can clear the roads," Jorgensen said. 

Smithtown was blanketed with nearly 9 inches of snow overnight, according to the National Weather Center, and wind gusts may cause higher drifts in spots. 

Jorgensen said he had his entire fleet of 100 trucks, a mix of plows and sanders, along with 40 hired contractors on the town's more than 500 miles of roadway throughout the night. 

"We did some areas 3 - 4 times during the night," he said. "We plowed them. We would go through them and come back 2 hours later, it was like we were never there. The snow was light and fluffy it just drifted." 

As of 3 p.m. Friday, Jorgensen said most of the town's roads should be plowed open from curb to curb. On average, it takes the town's highway department 4 to 5 hours after snow finishes to clear the streets, according to Jorgensen.

Town of Smithtown residents who live on dead ends or cul de sacs may have to wait a little bit longer, Jorgensen warned, as plows are instructed to put priority on main arteries, with dead ends residential roadways lowest on the list. 

The highway supervisor said the town will keep plows and sanders running on Friday night, as low temperatures raise concerns about possible icing of the roadways. He encouraged drivers to be careful and stay home if possible. 

Those residents whose streets have not seen a plow at all or need access in case of an emergency can call the town's Highway Department at 631-360-7500. 


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