Highway crews ready for late winter storms

HARLEM VALLEY — For a while it looked like winter snow might finally lift for the season. The ground was (almost) snow-free from recent warm weather, and the inevitable springtime mud was dirtying shoes across the Harlem Valley.

But over the weekend, lasting well into Monday, a snow storm hit the area again, creating dangerous driving conditions and plenty of manual labor for shovelers trying to dig themselves out of their driveways.

It’s a good thing the highway departments know what they’re doing.

According to the departments in North East, Amenia and Pine Plains, salt and sand supplies are more than enough to carry over into greener seasons. In Pine Plains, it was estimated that at least five or six storms worth of salt and sand will be left over once the snow finally stops falling.

Of course, all the departments were up before the crack of dawn, trying to make roads navigable. Robert Stevens, the highway superintendent in North East, said that he called his crew in at 2 a.m. Monday. Despite the lack of sleep, he said, “everything’s running smoothly.�

Amenia Highway Superintendent Stanley Whitehead said that the trick is being prepared for anything and everything. However, because the town is without a salt or sand shed, it’s difficult to make use of the supplies the town currently has.

“Wet sand is lumpy, and it doesn’t cast as nicely,� he explained. “Dry sand spreads a lot better. If our sand was dry, we wouldn’t use as much.�

One thing is for certain: As long as the snow keeps falling, the highway departments will keep doing their best to plow residents throughout the region out of trouble.