For safety, shovel the sidewalk
A man walks along Jericho Turnpike in Huntington on Thursday. Unshoveled sidewalks force pedestrians into the road. Credit: Newsday
Perhaps it's a sign of just how much Long Islanders depend on their cars, and not their feet, that so many of our sidewalks are neglected when it snows.
Along Jericho Turnpike and Route 110 in Huntington yesterday - just two of the Island's heavily traveled byways - it was easy to find long stretches of unshoveled walks. Pedestrians were forced to navigate the roadways' edges, with cars and trucks rushing by at 50 mph. Spotty shoveling even exists in some Long Island downtowns, where there's more foot traffic, as well as along residential streets.
Many towns and villages require business owners and residents to clear walks within a few hours after a snowfall. Fines can range into the hundreds of dollars, but officials admit that codes are not usually enforced unless neighbors complain.
With so much of winter still ahead, clearing sidewalks is the considerate thing to do - for everyone's safety. hN
