STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- The city’s response to an autumn snow storm that packed more wallop than initially thought is being slammed by Staten Island politicians and commuters alike, with one public official calling it “an utter failure.”
While the storm dumped three inches on the borough, according to the Advance’s unofficial measurement, it was enough to cause widespread delays to mass transit and bring traffic on roadways to an absolute crawl.
Numerous accidents and stuck vehicles were reported across the Island, as motorists were forced to navigate slippery roads covered in slush and snow.
“The city’s response today was an utter failure,” said Assemblywoman Nicole Malliotakis (R-East Shore/Brooklyn) in a Facebook post. “It is clear our mayor and his commissioners were not prepared for today’s snowfall.”
Despite just a few inches, “motorists and commuters were left desperate to find a safe route home with most, after multiple hours, still navigating snow-filled streets." she said.
Malliotakis said there were not enough salt spreaders or plows on the roads, lamented a lack of traffic agents at key intersections to prevent gridlock and criticized the MTA for not increasing bus service.
“When this is over, the city must conduct a review and develop a better contingency plan, because what happened today is simply unacceptable and it is only the second week in November," she said.
Councilman Joseph Borelli (R-South Shore) also slammed the response.
“Call it whatever you want.... a bad call, poor forecasting, crappy judgement... and given the fact this seems to be the heaviest early November storm on record,” he said on Facebook. “But the decisions at the top at DSNY, PANYNJ and elsewhere were flubbed regarding this storm preparation.”
He continued: “Normally we ask for streets that aren’t plowed, compile a list, send to DSNY... I’m just going to operate on the assumption that yours wasn’t plowed.”
Congressman-elect Max Rose said there was “no excuse” for the “disaster” that was the evening commute.
“I may not be sworn in, but I will be demanding answers,” he said.
Frustrated Staten Island residents also voiced their displeasure.
Joann Cashman of Castleton Corners told the Advance it took her almost two hours to travel a short distance at Victory Boulevard and Forest Avenue.
“You couldn’t get by either way,” she said. “You couldn’t get down any of the main streets, which is a disgrace. Not even one salt truck passed. These poor cars.”
“I’ve never experienced something so disgraceful,” she said.
Anthony Carrelli told the Advance it took four hours to travel from Avenue L in Brooklyn to Bard Avenue and Clove Road in West Brighton.
“The city and its leaders should hold themselves accountable," he said. "This has become an all-too-common problem amongst a litany of others... NO MORE EXCUSES, period.”
The city said Wednesday evening that the Department of Sanitation was readying 695 salt spreaders across the five boroughs and would dispatch plows once two inches of snow fell.
“Downed trees, closed bridges leading to stopped traffic, and more snowfall than forecasted made for challenging conditions today, but our salt spreaders and plows will continue working through the night to address snow/ice,” the agency said.