What to do with all this snow?!?
That was the major question Thursday, as the seventh major snow storm of the season dumped another 15 inches of snow in the Valley.
Schools were canceled as of 5 a.m. — many night events were scratched too, including the monthly meeting of the Derby Board of Aldermen.
Note: Click the slideshow to see snow images submitted by Valley Indy readers. Click here to see the pics full screen and with captions.
Speaking of Derby, Ron Culmo, director of the city’s Public Works Department, said plow crews had an awful time Thursday clearing the streets. Residents, having no place to chuck the stuff, opted to throw it into the street, causing Derby plow trucks to hit the same road repeatedly. Snow blowers, now a dime a dozen, were also throwing snow into the streets, Culmo said.
End result — it took Derby workers longer than they wanted to clear paths.
At about 2 p.m., Culmo sent the Valley Indy an e‑mail saying Derby workers had done all they could for the day shift — but that crews would be in downtown Derby tonight (Thursday) to clear more snow. Expect streets that are more narrow than usual.
“Public works will be removing snow in other major problem areas starting next Monday,” Culmo said. “ We are only clearing snow up to the curb line and in the intersections on the side streets so that cars may park and traffic can flow.”
In addition Culmo said he and Mayor Anthony Staffieri decided not to switch the winter parking rules for the rest of the winter.
“We are asking all residents to remain on the side of the street (which should be the odd side parking) for the remainder of the winter of 2011. The cars must be parked on the odd side of the street until March 31,” Culmo said.
In Oxford, Town Hall was scheduled to open at 11 a.m., along with the library and senior center.
“(Public works) employees and police have been on the job and fire and ambulance volunteers are on standby,” Oxford First Selectwoman Mary Ann Drayton-Rogers said in an e‑mail. “Residents need to have an understanding of the difficult circumstances that are being faced by our road crew. Men, equipment and budgets are being tested during these heavy snow falls.”
Ansonia City Hall was scheduled to open at 11 a.m., as was Shelton. (Shelton later changed to 1 p.m.)
The intense storm dumped snow overnight at a rate of 2 to 4 inches an hour and caused near blizzard conditions in the area.
Fifteen inches of snow were on the ground in Shelton as of 6 a.m.
The morning commute in the Valley was surprisingly uneventful. Motorists apparently stayed off the roads.
At about 7:45 a.m., reader Bob Kryvanis reported on our Facebook page that Route 8 was covered in snow, but traffic was moving slow and easy. Local roads, in his case, Shelton, were a mess. By about 2 p.m., Shelton roads were passable, but often times had only enough room for one car at a time to drive.
Pedestrians, pushed from the sidewalks because of piles of snow, also took to the streets in many areas — causing more driving hazards.
Because of heavier-than-expected snowfall across the state, Gov. Dannel Malloy Thursday morning urged all motorists and truckers to stay off the highways and roads until the snow winds down and the Department of Transportation has a chance to clear the interstates.
In addition, CT Transit bus service was not operating Thursday morning.
Train service was suspended on the New Haven line, including the Waterbury branch.
