The weather outside was certainly frightful last Saturday and the motoring around Hudson County was far from delightful, when 16 inches of snow fell on the area. But it definitely turned the area into a winter wonderland, just in time for local residents to ring in the new year.
The 16 inches of snow measured in North Bergen by the National Weather Service represented the biggest snowfall registered in Hudson County in almost five years. It was the biggest storm since the famed blizzard of January, 1996, when a record 30 inches of snow were dumped on Hudson County, causing some entire towns to shut down for days.
However, that wasn’t the case this time. Although 16 inches represents a major snow storm, the weather reports helped residents to brace for the impact of the storm. In fact, even in the hilly terrain of North Bergen and the narrow streets of Guttenberg, officials were more than ready.
According to Hudson County officials, there were no snow-related fatalities or major traffic accidents in the area. There were a handful of fender benders sprinkled through the area, including one on Tonnelle Avenue and 69th Street in North Bergen that was caused by the snow and ice.
Snow removal is always a chore in North Bergen because of the hills. Just ask Jim Wiley, the township’s assistant superintendent of public works.
“Whether we get 16 inches or 28 inches or four inches, it’s always tough for us, because of the hills,” said Wiley, who has been working on removing the snow since the storm began. “The hills are very delicate to plow.”
Wiley said that his crew of 32 men was definitely prepared to battle the elements.
“The weather reports definitely helped us,” Wiley said. “We knew it was coming. We had plenty of time to prepare.”
Wiley said that his crew went through several steps of preventative maintenance. For example, all of the snow removal vehicles that are utilized by the township were readied for the winter months in July.
“The mayor [Nicholas Sacco] spares no cost when it comes to snow removal,” Wiley said. “We knew we had to get things ready well in advance of any snow.”
Wiley said that most of the public works employees were also sent to Rutgers University in the summer months to take courses on snow removal, as part of the school’s Road Specialist Program.
“We send our guys to school and then they come back more experienced in handling everything, not just snow removal,” Wiley said. “They learn about street repairs, repairing pot holes. It’s a big plus.”
Once the snow began to fall Saturday, Wiley had a crew working around the clock.
“I have to give credit to my men, some of whom worked 28 hours straight without a break,” Wiley said. “That showed me a lot of commitment.”
Wiley said that most of his men have worked 18 hours a day since the snow stopped falling Saturday evening. The crew has concentrated on removing snow from the commercial areas, such as Bergenline Avenue, Broadway and Bergen Turnpike.
“Some of the residents have cooperated by moving their cars,” Wiley said. “We put up signs and asked residents to move their cars, but the ones who didn’t, we had their cars towed out of the snow and relocated the car at no cost to the owners. We’ll do that now, but not if they don’t choose to cooperate.”
Wiley added, “I don’t think we can make everyone happy. But we’re trying. I keep in touch with some trucking companies and asked them how we did with the snow. They gave us a triple AAA rating.”
Wiley was proud to say that most of the snow had been removed from the township’s main shopping areas by Thursday.
“It was a tough job, but we got rid of most of it,” Wiley said. “And we’ll continue to be out there. It’s a continuous job until it’s all gone. We have 20 full-time men working around the clock to get rid of the snow. And we have to be ready if more snow falls. You can’t fool Mother Nature.”
Wiley also said that despite the snow, the township didn’t miss a beat in its garbage collections and street cleaning.
Emergency medical personnel were more than ready to handle the onslaught.
“It’s amazing, but we’ve had a very limited number of calls,” said Jeff Welz, the co-director of North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue. “It was very quiet. We weathered the storm quite well.”
So did the youngsters who enjoyed the snow in North Hudson Braddock Park.
“I want it to snow all the time,” said 9-year-old Melissa Ortiz of North Bergen. “I love the snow.”