Readers’ Matzav: Snowed-in in Lakewood

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snow2Dear Editor,

I write this to Matzav.com from my home as I peer out on to the street here in Lakewood, NJ. We have just received some two feet of snow – at least – and the streets in my area have not been plowed. Every winter, we hear the same thing: “We have dozens of trucks out there… We can’t get to all the streets at once… We’re doing our best… They are working so hard… 20-hour shifts…

And then we hear the best line: “Even the mayor’s and committeemen’s streets haven’t been plowed…” As if that is somehow supposed to make us feel better. Can I ask you something? The fact that Mayor Langert is stuck at home…how exactly does that help me here?

It’s always the same thing. Somehow, Lakewood has already become known for not plowing its streets.

Lakewood is no longer a sleepy little town. It is a city. In Brooklyn, the streets get plowed rather quickly. In the Five Towns, no one stand for what goes on in Lakewood. In Monsey, things are a bit worse, but nothing like what goes on in Lakewood, where dozens of streets remain unplowed many hours into the storm. In Queens, the streets are plowed.

Lakewood hasn’t figured it out yet.

We, in Lakewood, have often been told, “You have to make a choice between tax cuts and services,” meaning that if we would cut back on services – extra police, extra garbage pickups (such as pre-Yom Tov), etc., the Township would be able to cut property taxes. Between me and you, that is rubbish. Our taxes will be lowered when the sky falls in. But, at the same time, there are some elementary services that the Township has not been able to provide efficiently. Most notable amongst them is snow plowing.

We know all the standard answers we are given in the regard. We’re tired of the same empty answers. We don’t want answers. We want action. Just plow the streets in a timely manner!

And let me add that it is about time that we stop treating all Township employees, including those in the Police and Public Works Departments, with kid gloves. We act as if they are national heroes who cannot be criticized or penalized. 

Meanwhile, I’ll climb back under my blanket while I wait for a snow plow to come down my street so that I can actually get my car out. Until then, I’ll ponder the pathetic state of affairs here.

A Matzav Reader Who Is Snowed In


37 COMMENTS

  1. Blame the unions! If our township employees were realy working for US we would see garbage trucks plowing, police plowing and every able-bodied township worker who can man a truck for a few hours, would be pitching in. Believe me, the many departments staffed by these people will not suffer if their staff would switch to emergency mode and do something else for a few hours!

  2. “It’s over 2 feet of snow for goodnes sakes! Take a chill!”

    Take a chill would appear to be probably the most inapposite advice possible in the current circumstances.

  3. A its more than 2 feet this strom is bigger than last years
    B the main roads are plowed
    C john franklin has retired!
    D its alot worse in brooklyn where abus is stuck in middle of kings highway and a police 4 x4

  4. for one, people should not park in the street if they can park elsewhere because that hinders the plows. My neighbor left his car in the street so the plow has to go around his car ant thus cannot come close to my driveway so I am stuck here with 4 feet of snow in the street in front of my driveway, which I already cleared out.

  5. My street has been plowed beautifully since 12:00 p.m. today. Thank you DPW. Where are you going today anyway? Stop complaining about everything. The streets in Brooklyn haven’t been plowed yet.

  6. this from accuweather.com “So far New Jersey has been hit with the heaviest snow. As of the storm’s conclusion, 31.0 inches of snow buried Jackson, and 31.8 inches of snow have fallen in Elizabeth. Unofficial snowfall measurements of 34 and 35 inches at Brick in the morning would be a New Jersey state record.” jackosn is to the west and brick is to the east of lakewood

  7. We in Monsey/Ramapo Have our snow cleaned by union town highway department employees and they do a great job. Your Town goverment is th problem.

  8. You are not correctly informed. In Brooklyn I do not know of one side street that has been cleared. I’ve spoken to a # of my teachers in Queens and neither have their streets been plowed.
    Imcha anochi b….

  9. TAKE A CHILL??????? What does that mean?? We pay taxes galore & I spoke to people in all different parts of town & not one of them even saw a plowing truck.A CHILL??We have schools,learning business….there is a reason why there are roads & people have cars.SO if there are “21 TRUCKS PLOWING LAKEWOOD” DOESNT IT MAKE SENCE THAT BY 5:00P.M. A DAY & AHALF AFTER IT STARTED SNOWING that they should be able to plow at least Every block once.Am i missing something???????

  10. brooklyn is just as bad as lakewood, 49th and twelfth is totally snowed in, was never plowed. MOnsey surprisingly is clean, beautiful! SO go figure!

  11. I couldn’t agree more. Truth be told, this was one devastating storm with the trucks themselves getting stuck!! However, Lakewood somehow has the same excuses EVERY year, EVERY storm,no matter the size. Something really is wrong with their system.

  12. This year they messed up in brooklyn but in lakewood they never get it right they claim they have 21 plows but noone has seen one on the south side of the lake since 430 am

  13. if my wife tichye, burns a cake, of course I tell her that its fine. But if I pay the bakery for a cake and it turns out to be burnt, they have to refund my money and clean up their act. Enough excuses already. No plows have been seen for hours.

  14. Sorry, you’re wrong, and frankly, you’re pathetic. You had a MAJOR snow storm, it’s IMPOSSIBLE for them to get everything all at once, especially the side streets, and especially all those impossible little development streets!

    I’m from an out of town city that gets plenty of snow, and I was in Lakewood last year when it snowed and I was AMAZED at how quickly the plows came out and what a great job they did. You’re being unrealistic.

  15. everyone relax… ma rabu maasacha hashem! the snow is so nice and pure each snowflake a different shape i can just sit and stare! so the kids are off a few days spend some time with them instead of running to work o k so bundle and off you gooooo

  16. to comment from out of town –

    I’m not sure what your talking about. I’m from Chicago and within a matter of a few hours the main roads are completely cleared and the side roads are done within 24 hours of the storm. The town runs as usual during a blizard. In lakewood the town shut down for an entire day and even today its bad. I dont know where you are from but there sure are places out of town that know how to do it right

  17. Midwesterner: I wasn’t knocking out of town (never! 🙂 ), I was complimenting Lakewood. I agree with you: We have the storms, we still go to work. NY and its environs totally shut down. Btw, am I the only out of towner that’s having a hard time mustering up sympathy for the east coast?

  18. uh, why dont u get your facts straight before whining out an article like that – “In Brooklyn, the streets get plowed rather quickly” — have you been listening to the news at all??? it is now wednesday morning and we in brooklyn are completely snowed in, our kids home from school, we can’t go to work, etc. and from what i heard from friends/relatives in lakewood – that is not the case for you. your kids are back in school so they must have gotten there somehow!

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