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Norwalk: Snow and Sidewalks


by turfgrrl


December 17th, 2007 · 28 Comments

The city of Norwalk has a great opportunity to self fund snow removal. A cruise along Water Street, West Ave. and Main Ave will reveal sidewalks that have remained un-shoveled since Thursday. What’s worse is that that many of these streets have bus stops without shelters. For Norwalk to truly act like a city that cares about pedestrians, we have to do a better job of enforcing clear, unobstructed, well maintained sidewalks. Fortunately most of the SoNo businesses get this, and Washington and North Main street were clear and inviting. But if you parked at the Maritime Garage, or in the parking lot in front of the Maritime Aquarium, you had to navigate through uncleared walkways as you headed to the retail stores or movie theater.

For West ave. start at Reed Street and head up to the Wall street. Yesterday I saw too many people trudging on the street because the sidewalk was impassable.

Feel free to exapand on any snow related issues in the comments, but better yet, complaints can be called into the city customer service center at 203-854-3200 or emailed to customerservice@norwalkct.org.

Tags: Norwalk

28 Responses so far “Norwalk: Snow and Sidewalks”



  • 1 :) // Dec 17, 2007 at 12:21 pm

    maybe if the DPW didn’t give the police station a bobcat and used it themselves more would get done.

    I’m not sure when anyone checked out water street but between the water main break and the tide you need a boat to go down water street.

    I call the supervisors office and talk to a live person when I call the number you give is useless as in the snow removal in most cases.

    the police dept is having a pissing match with the dpw right now on who is going to do monroe and south main street sides of the station.

    No one was out from midnight to 4 this morning doing anything, you would think they would stagger the help so someone would be on during this time.

    854 3204 is the number that works, be helpful give out some cell numbers as well and get the answer to why everything is so screwed up.

    you honestly think email will help?

    this is one of the problems with the city when suggestions are made they are not the solution they are the problems.

    one lane traffic on hills this morning some streets were never pushed back, now thats a term you never read in the news or the blog.

    Why is it so hard to get on the scene reporting using terms the DPW should know?

    just another joke on the residents

    according to an emt crew the homeless shelter was full last night so quick thinking officials sent the homeless to the laundermat for heat and away from the elements and we care about sidewalks?

    lets talk issues not simple cosmetic problems the city has will have and continue to have.

    What about the people? the kids the homeless or did we patronize them enough during the election.

    stroke us some more Dick and fellow dicksters the writing is on the wall.

    just curious how many hydrants have we lost so far this winter?

    never a dull moment when your talking shortfalls to the residents, but wait taxes are going up so e can pay for more paper pushing reports telling us we need more money while the reports themselves cost money.

    oh ya the Hour was real light this morning I guess someone was right news tuesday they took the weekend off.

    but this blog never sleeps

    For Norwalk to truly act like a city that cares about pedestrians what about the homeless?

    You realize rent has gone up in Oyster park and the bridge is still being worked on so the two hotels the city have are unavailable right now.

  • 2 anon for now // Dec 17, 2007 at 12:52 pm

    Ahh, anonymous :), your style is like music to my ears. It remnds me of someone I was so fond of on the previous version of the blog…hmmmm.

  • 3 anon // Dec 17, 2007 at 1:48 pm

    There are many businesses on Route 7 that can be fined and check out the 6 inch path The Hour managed.

  • 4 MGeake // Dec 17, 2007 at 2:14 pm

    You might want to check out the city charter, namely “§1-427. Ice and snow” and “§95-10. Snow and ice removal from sidewalks”. ‘Tis the building occupants’ responsiblity to clear the sidewalk.

  • 5 Anonymous // Dec 17, 2007 at 2:24 pm

    your right Mike what about the homeless being brought to the laundramat?

    or is #1 blowing smoke?

    couldn’t they put a plow on the new segway is it called?

    why is the DPW giving the police dept a bobcat I imagine the fire dept could use one for hydrants as well.

    then again #1 could be wrong.

    Its great to see one of the new guys care, be careful Mike they won’t like you if you show professionalism.

    #2 maybe we all took his course over the summer on what to look for in city gov. the news papers certainly didn’t.

  • 6 MGeake // Dec 17, 2007 at 2:47 pm

    I am far more concerned that we have so many homeless they overflow the shelter when it gets cold.

    Truly an act of humanity by the laudramat, but I’d rather see us become more proactive as a city. Our Emergency Management plan has BMHS designated as where we evacuate to — perhaps the homeless could provide a “proof of concept”. After all, I’d consider the threat of freezing to be an “emergency” as far as they are concerned!

    No idea about the Segway; my balance isn’t good enough to ride one :) And this is the first I heard about the bobcat, but the PD does have a large area to clear.

  • 7 anonymous // Dec 17, 2007 at 4:35 pm

    I hope they’ve made some progress on Water Street - several of the commercial properties’ sidewalks have not been cleared since Thursday’s storm. Maybe Geyser Wood Floors and 140 Water St. don’t have occupants? Is that an excuse?

    The sidewalks on both sides of the Stroffolino Bridge are uncleared, rutted, slippery messes. Who is supposed to clean the bridges’ sidewalks?

  • 8 Anon // Dec 17, 2007 at 4:46 pm

    Mike,
    glad you’re concerned about the homeless. What is Norwalk’s plan to take advantage of the funds being offered by the state to build more affordable and supportive housing?

  • 9 :) // Dec 17, 2007 at 4:50 pm

    hire the homeless to clear the streets, there may not be as many homeless after.

    I agree Mr MGeake so much logic to that concept.

    holiday wishes to you and yours.

    :)

  • 10 MGeake // Dec 17, 2007 at 6:55 pm

    #8 to be quite honest, I’ve been so swamped getting up-to-speed for the committees I’m actually on that I haven’t had a chance to see what the others are poking into.

    Let me get back to you.

  • 11 Anon // Dec 17, 2007 at 8:50 pm

    In my 20 years in Norwalk, no one wants to enforce the ordinance to remove snow from sidewalks. Sidewalks on East Avenue go unshoveled for weeks, driveways are plowed with piles left blocking sidewalks. The City also needs to clean their walkways like the accessway to Webster Street lot from N. Main and the sidewalks around the N. Water Street lot.

    Stand up and enforce the ordinance. Pedestrians deserve some consideration.

  • 12 Anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 7:44 am

    Here we go again Norwalk to have the burden of affordable housing for all of CT. Norwalk housing prices took a nose dive so its a good time for all to buy and not be homeless any more. Let other CT towns and cities take on affordable housing also not just Norwalk. I work hard to afford my house and anyone can do the same hand outs cost the tax payers alot. Soon there will be alot of empty condos in Norwalk after the over develop.

  • 13 anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 8:01 am

    #12 - don’t you read the paper? Home prices in Norwalk are up according to an article in the Hour last week. “Norwalk housing prices took a nose dive” - just another lie by someone on this blog to spew their hateful rhetoric.

  • 14 :) // Dec 18, 2007 at 9:03 am

    while we are still on the parking garage on water street , has anyone seen the ad hoc cross walk to the aquarium?

    suppose if you wait long enough and don’t get anywhere, going out with your own can of paint and making one will do.

    talk about professionalism, anyone visiting Norwalk via the garage has to wonder how pathetic our DPW must be to let things get resolved like this.

    While we are at it maybe someone could create crosswalks in South Norwalk and stop lines or is that too much to ask?

    Wonder what Jack Mckee would of done? he probably would of gone out with a can of spray paint as well.

    Inside joke kids sorry :)

  • 15 MGeake // Dec 18, 2007 at 9:07 am

    #7 after a bit of research (actually, I contacted Hal Alvord :) ), I learned that, because the Straffolino Bridge is a state bridge on a state road (Route 136), it is the responsibility of the state to plow and clear the sidewalks.

    You might want to open a complaint with Jodi Rell for that one.

  • 16 MGeake // Dec 18, 2007 at 9:22 am

    #14 as valuable as this forum is for venting, it really does little to get specific items on a department’s project list. Have you submitted these suggestions to http://www.norwalkct.org/feedback/feedback.htm ? For things in your neighborhood, have you requested that they be added to the “City Scan” list of projects ( http://www.norwalkct.org/CityScan/index.htm )?

  • 17 Anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 9:56 am

    #13 is that you Mr. Mayor.

  • 18 Anonoymous 52 // Dec 18, 2007 at 10:21 am

    I live on a snow emergency route. We have all kinds of illegal tenants on the street who park their cars on the street and do not remove them before a storm. Everytime I have my sidewalks shoveled the DPW comes down my street right afterwards like bats out of hell and plow everything right back onto the sidewalk. This is a lose-lose situation.

    Unfortunately, the DPW and zoning enforcement are more of the problem than the taxpayers. Why should we pay to have DPW plow our sidewalks over? Why should we pay taxes when zoning doesn’t enforce off street parking for tenants laws?

  • 19 MGeake // Dec 18, 2007 at 10:28 am

    The problem with enforcement has been having the people to do it. There’s an outstanding budget request for those additional people.

  • 20 anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 12:11 pm

    I agree that there needs to be additional enforcement officers in Zoning, but that isn’t the whole answer. The judicial process needs to be reviewed as well. The process through the courts takes too long as well as exampled by the owner of the property in Golden Hill that has been fighting to keep his illegal apartments by filing appeals for 25 years!

  • 21 Anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 12:31 pm

    thats ok somewhere in the city did someone suffer an injury and I thinks the city may be the owner of the fall.

    back in the old days on the books if the storm was still going on and someone fell well thats tough, but after the storm has stopped does it then become the owners fault?

  • 22 Anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 12:43 pm

    your right Mike very little gets done when you don’t complain to the right people but when you point out to many out here the jackass ways the city handles some things it gives others as well to follow your sugestions and complain.

    myself I rely on the state and federal agencies to come and help us out with complaints, show them the problem and they can’t ignore calling the city and simply asking what the deal is.

    So as I usually agree with your solutions or suggestions I find my way of uncovering and shedding light works as just fine. besides light a fire under the right people and it gets done.

    hence simply talking to you gets results , and for that I am thankful of that as many others have said.

    just curious have you seen this fake crosswalk and if someone gets hurt is there liability?

    this is not for you Mike your doing fine with the other stuff , anyone else know legal?

    anyone else see this crosswalk done with a spray can?

  • 23 Anonymous // Dec 18, 2007 at 8:46 pm

    the mayor shows up on tv telling us its time to get tough with snow removal is there anything wrong with him he didn’t look good.

    why in the hell is my street not plowed back, there is only room for one car at a time, in the summer there is parking on both sides and two lanes to travel in does that make any sense? $ lanes nows there is 1 maybe 1 and 1/2.

    From the curb in front of the house to the actual street plowed there is 63 inches not cleared and we don’t and didn’t park a car in front of the house as is the same all the way to the end of the street.

  • 24 Frustrated // Dec 19, 2007 at 9:53 am

    #18, Anonymous 52, right on!
    I shoveled my sidewalk towards the end of the weekend storm, and then the plow came by so fast ten minutes after I was done that the slush and ice from the road was thrown 15 feet back onto the walk, and deeper than before! If the plow was going the speed limit(25mph)instead of at least 45mph the snow would not have been thrown so far back (my walk is 15 feet back from the street, not right on it.) I’m sure these guys are good hard workers, and were tired also, but they need to slow down on side streets or wherever there are sidewalks. This is also a safety issue, not just a sidewalk issue. I can’t believe that the driver didn’t know where the snow he was plowing was ending up. It’s almost like he was having fun making the biggest wave of snow he could manage, maybe out of boredom.
    Next time I shovel I will take the Hour edition from that day and take a picture of it in front of my clean walk, just to cover my butt if someone falls or if the city gives a ticket. Ha! Most unlikely, since most of my renting neighbors never even bother to shovel once. The rich landlords who live in Wilton could care less because they know Norwalk is just anarchy.
    Maybe Giuliani will come to our rescue after he loses, or Bloomberg will want to retire here and help us out. They knew how to clean up a city, even one a hundred times larger than Norwalk and with much bigger problems. These guys could do more in a day than Moccia could do in 2 years. So much for the “hands off and let the departments do their jobs” approach to governing that he is so proud of (translation-let’s rationalize my own laziness and call it a management style!). Maybe we need a mayor who is feared a bit instead of everybody’s best buddy.

    So, let’s see sidewalk clearing enforcement-who would write the tickets? Who even knows who owns the properties-we have no citywide database! And don’t you dare ask the police to do anything more than what’s in their contract!

  • 25 turfgrrl // Dec 19, 2007 at 10:28 am

    Let’s put the criticism where it belongs, if DPW is not doing a good job its because the Public Works committee of the common council has been either bamboozled or is asleep.
  • 26 Frustrated // Dec 19, 2007 at 11:04 pm

    OK, fair enough, it’s not the mayor’s fault this time. But show me any functional city and I will show you a strong mayor (no matter what the charter gives him in the way of real power) who manages with an expectation of excellence from his managers, or else its the highway. Forget contracts, and forget the city charter-when you screw up its the boot. Dictatorial? No. It’s called LEADERSHIP!
    And we should expect nothing less from our newly elected mayor. The icy sidewalks are a disgrace, and should be a wake-up call to the city’s residents about how dysfunctional this city really is.

  • 27 Anonymous // Dec 20, 2007 at 1:50 am

    I’m just wondering why a bobcat for the police dept?

    someone said they have a big lot, whats the fire dept have 5 stations and how many hydrants?

    But then again does the fire dept clean out the hydrants most cities accross the country take responsibility for them by having the firemen shovel them out. Helps them find them and make sure there ready to go.

    why was there such a problem with the police doing s main st and Monroe sides of the station?

    can’t have leadership until we demand accountability I suppose.

  • 28 Anonymous 52 // Dec 20, 2007 at 8:34 am

    #24 Frustrated- I have actually had to clear my sidewalk 3 times in one day long after a snowstorm and the plows, only to have DPW plow the snow right back onto it, all the way up to my front porch which is at least 30 feet from the curb.

    The plows have to be speeding at least 45 MPH down a school street and all the neighbors feel it is only a matter of time before someone gets run over.

    The DPW workers wait until the storm is over to start to plow which I guess saves money, but why do they then come back to plow at least 20 more times, scraping the black top and causing damage to the street?

    Answer: OVERTIME!

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