L.I. Lawmaker: Flying Ice Should Be A Crime
NEW YORK (CBS 2 / WCBS 880) -- The snow is gone but the after-effects of the storm were still being felt Thursday.
LINKS: Traffic & Transit | Photos: Tri-State Snowstorm Jan. 12
Drivers, especially on Long Island, were being told to beware of slick and dangerous roadways a day after a snowstorm dumped up to a foot of snow across parts of the Tri-State area.
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WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reports from Selden
Salt and plow truck drivers met the first challenge of clearing a path in Suffolk County but now that black top is visible there's a new concern -- black ice.
On the Long Island Expressway, the message is clear: "caution" the "road is icing" over.
The dangerous road conditions prompted delayed school openings in several districts, including Bridgehampton and Quogue, where classes were to begin two hours late Thursday morning.
A lawmaker on Long Island says drivers who leave huge chunks of snow and ice on their vehicles after a snowstorm should be subject to a ticket by the police.
Suffolk County Legislator Jon Cooper has proposed a bill to require drivers clear their vehicles. He says five other states, including Connecticut and New Jersey, have such laws. He hopes enacting the law in Suffolk County will inspire state lawmakers to follow suit.
Fines for those who fail to clear their vehicles would start at $75. They could rise to as much as $1,500 if the flying snow and ice causes an accident that injures people.
Cooper says his priority is not to collect fines, but to keep people safe. The proposal will be taken up by the county legislature next month.
There are still piles of snow everywhere and not just on roadways but also in front of homes. Residents of hard-hit areas of Suffolk County struggled to get their driveways and sidewalks cleared.
The official snow total in Centereach was 17 inches but Karen Lachiana said it looked like more.
"When you say 17 what's another 7 or 8," Lachiana said.
Hector Morales, of Centereach, was left with an unwelcome present for his 52nd birthday from road crews -- a day's work to clear his driveway. again.
"I knew they were gonna do that because there was a car here on the road and then the plow came and brought it back," Morales said.
Suffolk County declined New York City's offer of snow plows to help the Long Island county dig out from the most recent storm. Spokesman Mark Smith says the county is grateful for the "magnanimous offer.'' But he says the city's assistance won't be needed because "the county roads are in great shape.''
In New York City, the sanitation department expects to complete snow cleanup today and resume garbage pickup on Friday.
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WCBS 880's Rich Lamb reports
Meanwhile, Connecticut was also digging out of a heavy snowfall Thursday. At least two feet of snow fell in Fairfield County.
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WCBS 880's Paul Murnane reports from Ridgefield
Some cars ended up in ditches, especially during the height of the store in the early hours of Wednesday. Many drivers had trouble getting traction in the deep drifts but by last nights roads were in much better shape. Even so, several schools in Fairfield County will be closed again Thursday.
