Must Be Reading BHB – Levin Flips Over Lack of Snow Plowing in Brooklyn Heights

By on December 27, 2010 5:37 pm in Weather

Our man in the NYC Council, Steve Levin fires off this missive regarding the city’s “poor response” to the Blizzard of 2010 in Brooklyn Heights:

Councilmember Levin expresses his disappointment and outrage over the city’s poor response to yesterday’s snow storm.

“I am outraged at the lack of response in the neighborhoods which I represent-Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Greenpoint, and Williamsburg.  It is unacceptable that, a full day after the storm, major avenues throughout my district have yet to see a snow plow.  I commend all the DSNY, FDNY, and NYPD workers giving their all out in the snow today, and we are all grateful for their work, but they have not been given enough resources.  Clearly, City Hall and the leadership at the Sanitation Department were entirely unprepared for a storm of this magnitude, and we are all paying the price for that now,” said Councilmember Levin.

“Nobody expects that every side street will be plowed within a day-we are all realistic.  However, from Nassau Avenue in Greenpoint to 4th Avenue in Park Slope, major arteries are impassable.  This is not only an inconvenience for residents, but it is downright dangerous if emergency vehicles cannot even get down a major avenue.  Simply put, this isn’t the worst storm we’ve ever had, but it seems to be the worst response to any major storm in recent memory.”

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  • my2cents

    Nice photoshop job! HILARIOUS!

  • x

    agree with the sentiment.

    I’m surprised to see sooo many streets unplowed throughout the city.

    Most of the plows probably went to Manhattan.

    The snow, and soon ice, ain’t going to plow itself.

  • http://bivforbrooklyn.com Doug Biviano

    Levin’s right to say so. Our door person left here at 8 PM last night and she didn’t get home until 3 AM. Her bus got stuck on a main road and she ended up walking miles after waiting hours for relief that never came. She was told she’ll have to sleep on the bus. 911’s response, “We’re not taxis.”

    And why not announce now that parking regs are canceled for the entire week, as has been done in the past, and give people some peace of mind?

    Here’s the latest on nyc.gov:

    “Alternate Side Parking regulations are in effect Wednesday, December 29; and Thursday, December 30. All other regulations, including parking meters, remain in effect.”

    This is an outrage too. Cars are buried and our streets haven’t and probably won’t be plowed by Wednesday. Plowing will bury cars further. Can City Hall do the right thing and call it now so there’s one less thing to worry about?

  • my2cents

    With all due respect, we got about 2 feet of snow overnight, and I am sure the city had its entire fleet out plowing constantly (stuck snowplows nothwithstanding). Sometimes mother nature wins…And she definitely won this round.

  • x

    Were there even meter maids out here today ? Or did they take the day off?

    It’s funny how the sidewalks are much cleaner than the roads themselves.

  • David on Middagh

    Well, we know what happened to one snowplow, at least.

    At least the kids got to snowboard down Columbia Heights “suicide” hill!

  • x

    thats right..

    who needs Vermont, when you can ski (crosscountry OR downhill) in Brooklyn Heights!

  • Steven

    Two words:
    Tax strike!!

  • j

    Of course all the plows went into the city… did you see how clean 23rd street was in Manhattan….Gotta clean Bloomberg’s borough first…. you should see Red Hook… always the forgotten : (

  • Andrew Porter

    Did you see the photos of how clean East 79th Street between Fifth and Madison in Manhattan was? Hizzoner owns a townhouse on the block.

    I remember when a friend owned a house in Poughkeepsie, just down the street from the city’s Sanitation Commissioner. Easily the most snow free street in the entire city.

  • maxine

    the problem with complaining here is that it doesn’t reach the powers that be or change anything. Can’t imagine once i dig out my car where i will put it. it’s a lose -lose situation. Alternate side should be cancelled until the snow melts.And remember- some of us have alternate side tomorrow-some thursday and some on friday.How lucky are the neighborhoods who have no alternate side -particularly in Sheepshead Bay- how do they keep their streets clean? wish we didn’t have it either.

  • Broolynmama

    Mill Basin Brooklyn has not seen a plow yet. Its now 1:48 am on Tuesday! Want to talk about taxes !!!!! Bloomberg can keep this city

  • Onyez

    As of Tuesday Dec. 28th at noon and still no side streets and even some major streets in Brooklyn are still unplowed. Neither Myrtle from Flatbush to Vanderbilt have been cleared. Vanderbilt from Atlantic to Grand Army Plaza has not been plowed. Yesterday was NOT a holiday, neither is today. Buses are not running. I was on Upper West Side of Manhattan today – how nice that all their side streets are plowed and clear!

    We in the outer borroughs pay the same tax rate as Manhattanites, yet we get half the city services. It’s time to either cut our taxes or step up the service. PLEASE WRITE TO THE MAYOR to demand better

  • Onyez

    Just received this email from Councilperson Letitia James: “I am on the street now directing dept of sanitation to plow secondary streets in the district. They should be cleared by the evening. I have been in touch with the administration and all over the media criticizing response. I will also be holding an oversight hearing on january 10 at city hall regarding complete breakdown. I should have a status report by the end of the day detailing progress.”

  • nabeguy

    Onyez, did that e-mail include a picture of her holding a shovel? I would have loved to have seen that.