By Audrey Levine, Staff Writer
Unlike the storm in December, which saw an unusual 31 traffic accidents in a 90-minute period, Hillsborough police said there were relatively few problems during Saturday’s snowstorm and as of mid-afternoon Wednesday.
”On the weekend, people were more likely to be home,” Lt. Fran Mozgai said. “But the 31 accidents (in December) was unusual. That was a dusting on the ground. Most people were just sliding.”
As far as preparations concerning the predictions for Wednesday’s additional storm, Lt. Mozgai said Monday that the department was not taking any extra measures, but would have plenty of officers available to provide service if necessary.
”On the weekdays, we do have more staff available,” he said.
As of mid-morning Wednesday, Lt. Mozgai said no major problems had been reported because the majority of people were not out on the roads.
In the afternoon, that changed as the number of accidents increased, Hillsborough police Cpl. David Fisher said, because many people chose to be out later in the day. He did not know specifically how many accidents had been reported or how many summonses had been issued.
”There are a lot of people on the roads because it is a weekday,” he said Wednesday afternoon. “Places are open, and people are not heeding warnings to stay home.”
Fortunately, Cpl. Fisher said, there had been only minor traffic accidents, as motorists were sliding on the slippery roadways, and no injuries had been reported.
Aside from some accidents, Cpl. Fisher said, police officers have been writing tickets for those vehicles parked on snow-covered roadways, but he did not know how many had been issued in total.
Despite some people being on the roads, all Hillsborough district schools were closed Wednesday, as were all municipal offices.
According to Township Clerk Kevin Davis, the township, as of Tuesday, had been restocking the salt in its current facility and had 600 tons, full capacity for Wednesday’s storm, in addition to a few extra tons in other local locations. He said the township made sure to stockpile early because getting additional salt could prove to be a problem in the days following the storm, as other municipalities would need it as well.
Other than the salt, Mr. Davis said, the equipment itself was ready to go, and had already been checked to ensure that it was working properly.
Paul McCall, supervisor of roads and bridges for the county, said Tuesday that the county was running a little low on salt after Saturday’s storm, but received another 1,500 tons on Monday, and was expecting another 1,500 tons by the end of the day Tuesday. In addition to providing salt to such towns as Hillsborough and Manville, Mr. McCall said the county also salts roads at Raritan Valley Community College and Somerset County Vo-Tech, and in towns that don’t have their own snow removal equipment, such as Millstone, Rocky Hill and other areas.
”We have checked all the trucks, and will have them loaded by the end of the day,” he said.
The biggest issue he saw for Wednesday’s storm, Mr. McCall said, was if there was nowhere to put the snow when it was shoveled and plowed to the side. He said the piles of the snow on the sides of the road can get high and dangerous, but that, fortunately, Sunday’s sunny weather, and a few warmer days following the weekend storm, allowed some of the snow to melt.
Plowing and salting, Mr. McCall said, requires several steps, beginning with two applications of salt on the roads early in the storm so the snow does not stick to the blacktop. From there, he said, they plow every about 3 to 4 inches of snow that falls, and salt again after the storm ends.
To assist in the work, Mr. McCall said, they were looking to have about 95 county workers, in addition to 14 people through contractors helping with the plowing.
”It is a big operation,” he said.
In general, Mr. McCall said, he asks that people do not shovel their snow out into the roads because of hazardous conditions, and because the plows will just end up pushing it back into the driveways.
”Put the snow onto the lawn,” he said, adding that some people get angry when they watch the plows pushing the snow they have shoveled back into their driveways. “That happens quite often.”
But for the most part, the township was ready for what the weather would bring.
”All the equipment is ready to go,” Mr. Davis said Tuesday. “And we are prepared to have (people plowing) through (Wednesday) evening.”
