Hurricane Sandy Debris Still Lines Streets

It's been six weeks since Hurricane Sandy pulled down trees, wrecked homes, and left the Jersey Shore in the dark for days.

In many places, signs of clean-up are slow at best.

My hometown of Marlboro was largely spared from Sandy's wrath. There were many downed trees and wires, but being so far inland, we didn't see the large scale devastation that many coastal towns experienced.

That's why I still find it so unbelievable that even now, with so much time passed since the storm, there are still piles of trees, brush, and debris lining the streets of my town.

These are not the typical leaf piles that you expect every fall. They are 4 and 5 foot high mounds of shrubbery, extending out into roadways.

I've seen many close calls on the way into work when drivers overcompensate for newly narrowed roadways and wind up driving on the wrong side of the road.

Not to mention that we saw the issues with clearing snow when we got hit with the nor'easter right after Sandy. We still have all of winter ahead of us...it will most likely snow again.

Let's be real -- it's a lot easier to get the roads back to driveable conditions when there aren't piles of crap in the way.

Mayor Jon Hornik sent out a notice to residents about the status of storm cleanup.

Marlboro has 9 crews working throughout town to remove storm debris. Crews are working 10 hours a day, 5 days per week and 8 hours on Saturday...Due to the massive volume, it can take a crew up to 4 hours to clear the debris from in front of a single home...Crews are currently working in 5 zones. Three zones have had their first pick-up and will be revisited after every street has been addressed.'

 

I don't really understand how it could possibly take four hours to clear a pile in front of one house, BUT I absolutely understand my street is one of many, and the need for patience is vital.

It's mostly frustrating because with all of these crews working around the clock...I have yet to see one. I've traveled throughout a good portion of the town, and I know some have had their streets cleared, but like I've said before, lack of information makes people stir crazy.

A schedule of when each zone is being worked on would certainly help ease frustrations.

That being said, many thanks to everyone who has had a part in helping clean up after Sandy.

This has definitely been an eye-opening experience for us all.

How is the clean-up going in your town? Tell us in the comment section below!