Westfield Prepares For Weekend Winter Blast

WESTFIELD, NJ - Mayor Shelley Brindle took to Facebook live on Friday with Director of Public Works Greg O'Neill to discuss the impending round of winter weather and remind residents to do their part in the cleanup.

"Yesterday we prepared by doing some presalting of all of the roads. It worked very well and the roads were in great shape," O'Neill said, referring to the small round of snow showers that blanketed the area Thursday into Friday.

But the bigger concern, according to O'Neill was the storm coming Saturday night.

"Right now we are tracking it," he said.

With the forecast shifting from various snow totals for Saturday and all rain on Sunday, both Brindle and O'Neill asked for cooperation and an abundance of caution.

"For me the concern is not so much the snow and the rain it is the drop in the temperatures," Brindle said.

The forecast deep freeze coming Sunday into Monday could turn any area of standing water or wet surface into sheets of ice. And when temperatures are that cold, salting is mostly ineffective.

"We utilize rock salt prior to any weather event. You can also use brine. Brine is rock salt mixed with water. We just use rock salt. Rain can wash the brine away but the rock salt crystals can stay on the road a very long time," O'Neill said.

However, below 20 degrees salt does not become effective in terms of melting ice.

Although the snow totals don't appear to trigger the mandatory ordinances on moving cars off of roads and alternate street parking, Brindle asked that residents do so anyway. She also reminded residents that 24 hours after the snow ends, tickets will be written for those who do not clear their sidewalks.

Parking Reminders

Public ordinance 2070 prohibits parking on any street in Westfield when three or more inches of snow have fallen until snowfall stops and the entire width of the road has been plowed (with the exception of the alternate side parking locations below). Under these circumstances, the shoveling or blowing of snow into a plowed street is also banned.
Should three inches of snow fall, the following locations are subject to alternate side of the street parking and vehicles need to park on the side of the street with even house numbers (except for Ross Place):

• 400 & 500 block of Downer Street
• Livingston Street
• Cacciola Place
• Cowperthwaite Place between Elm and Clark Streets
• 300 & 400 block of Lenox Avenue
• 200 block of St. Paul Street
• Entire length of Ross Place (park on the side with odd numbers only)

Brindle asked that Westfield residents only travel when needed and to check on their neighbors, especially the elderly. She also suggested watching the slate of college basketball games scheduled for the weekend.

"Stay inside, watch some basketball, get your cars off the street and be great neighbors," Brindle said.

For his part, O'Neill reminded residents to keep cleared snow on their property.

"If you use a snowblower or are shoveling snow please do not throw it in the roadway," O'Neill said. "With the drop in temperatures it could create bumps in the road."

O'Neill said those bumps could cause damage to passing cars.

Snow Removal

Plowing snow typically begins when more than three inches of snow have fallen, except in instances when it is expected to be quickly washed away or melt due to imminent changes in weather. Westfield has 380 municipal roadways which total approximately 100 miles in length and 200 miles of travel lanes to plow -- 400 miles in total when shoulders and parking lots are added. This is for just one plowing pass; oftentimes, the DPW makes multiple passes during significant snowfall.

Municipal roadways are generally tended to in the following order:

• arterial roads
• school areas
• collector roads
• inclines and known trouble areas
• the downtown area
• secondary roads
• tertiary roads, dead ends, and cul de sacs

The amount of time it takes for a plow to arrive on a particular road is dependent upon many factors, including the volume and composition of snow, as well as when it begins and its duration.

Although no street will be forgotten, it is understandable that residents need reassurance that the plows are working their way to their location.

Those concerned their street is not yet plowed can submit a request here.