New York City property owners warned to clear their sidewalks or pay the price
NEW YORK -- With more snow on the way, New York City is warning property owners they must clear their sidewalks; it's city law, and failure to comply could cost you.
Driving around side streets in Queens on Thursday, CBS New York's Jennifer Bisram found slippery, icy sidewalks. While most streets have been cleared, there are also a lot that clearly were not shoveled after the snow earlier this week.
The city's sanitation department has been out issuing fines.
After the snow, it's slippery sidewalks in some city neighborhoods.
"I didn't want to hurt myself and be injured, so I walked on the street," Luis Alvarez said.
Runners, students and families in Forest Hills dodged icy sidewalks to avoid a slip-and-fall Thursday.
"Sometimes it's ice, you might not necessarily see it, and whoop, you find yourself in the air," Alvarez said.
Ted, who's 85 years young, says he's been keeping his eyes on the ground.
"It's a little bit dangerous. You take a fall here, you could break a hip, you could break an arm. It's very dangerous," he said.
The city's sanitation department is cracking down on those homeowners who don't shovel the snow off their sidewalks.
On Wednesday alone, from 8 a.m. to midnight, 2,034 summonses were issued for failure to remove snow and ice on sidewalks, compared to the city's last snowstorm in February 2022, when only 668 were written.
"How have the sidewalks been for you?" Bisram asked Adriana Diaz.
"Pretty rough, actually. I've actually fallen twice already," Diaz said.
That's why city officials say snow and ice removal is so important.
Property owners who don't clear their sidewalks will be fined $100 for the first offense, $150 for the second and $250 for every time after.
In the meantime, Cash, Diaz's dog, may just be the only one in Queens happy to still see snow on the ground.
"He is loving the snow. He has no complaints. He's actually saying, 'Please don't shovel,'" Diaz said.
City officials say snow and ice should not be pushed into the street, in bike lanes or on crosswalks. In the meantime, the city is urging New Yorkers, if you see snow or ice on a sidewalk, call 311.
Meanwhile, the city announced alternate side parking is suspended Friday because of the snow, but drivers still have to pay the parking meters.