Recognition For A Great Job

To the Editor:

The hard working members of our highway department never get enough recognition for the great job they do in snow removal like Monday night, February 5, 2001. I work in Monroe and left for home about 5 pm. Monroe’s connecting roads were not even touched but the minute I hit the Newtown town line, they have been plowed and were open and safe.

Since Newtown is in land area one of the largest towns in the state, the highway department can’t cover the whole town instantaneously. With a hard snow like we had on Monday, the snow can build up quickly and driving can go from being difficult to impossible within minutes.

In this context, the residents of the Riverside area would appreciate it if our extremely steep entrance roads would be given a priority for plowing and sanding as they become totally inaccessible under snow or ice conditions. Our concern is for the residents being unreachable in case of emergency situations. We frequently see cars and trucks (with or without 4-wheel drive) getting stuck or sliding off the road.

Monday was as bad as it gets with a number of vehicles stuck in the middle of the road and on top of a three foot high wall of snow blocking the intersection of Alpine Drive and Underhill Road. A dog was also injured when a car spun out of control and trapped it against a snow bank.

Thanks for your immediate response to our calls and consideration of our needs in the future.

Barry J Piesner

34 Alpine Drive, Sandy Hook                                      February 9, 2001