By Mary Brienza, Staff writer
Despite the holiday blizzard last week that dumped more than two feet of snow on the township, there have been no violations issued for not clearing sidewalks, according to police.”No summonses have been issued that I am aware of for snow,” Sgt. James Ryan said. “Our goal is to make every effort to give people the opportunity to clear the snow before any summonses are issued.”
The blizzard blew through the Northeast Dec. 26 and 27, leaving behind mountains of drifting snow and creating almost whiteout conditions thanks to gusting winds.
There is a township law stating that time residents have to clear the sidewalks, and the state has a law stating cars need to be cleared of snow before they can be driven.
The township ordinance states that residents have 12 hours after the storm ends to clear their sidewalks.
The ordinance states: “The owner, occupant or tenant of premises abutting upon a public street in a residential zone in the township shall remove from the abutting sidewalk, within 12 hours after the first daybreak after the falling or formation thereon, so much of the snow and ice as it is possible to remove and shall apply sand, sawdust, ashes, salt or some other harmless substance to the portion not removed so that the sidewalk shall be rendered safe for travel and, as soon as possible thereafter, shall remove the remainder, together with any substance which has been applied to it.”
State law also requires drivers to clear off their vehicles before taking them out on the roads.
”Each driver of a motor vehicle operated on a street or highway in this State shall have an affirmative duty to make all reasonable efforts to remove accumulated ice or snow from exposed surfaces of the motor vehicle prior to operation, which surfaces shall include, but not be limited to, the hood, trunk, windshield, windows, and roof of the motor vehicle, the cab of a truck, the top of a trailer or semitrailer being drawn by a motor vehicle, and the top of an intermodal freight container being carried by an intermodal chassis,” according to New Jersey statute 39:4-77.1.
There is a fine given for violating the law of between $25 and $75, according to the statute.
”Road conditions have improved around the Township (and) most of the major roadways have been cleared to the blacktop,” police said in a statement the day after the storm.

