New Jersey crossing guards raise concerns about kids crossing snowy intersections as cleanup continues around area
Schools in Gloucester City, New Jersey, had another two-hour delay Thursday morning, but some crossing guards have been raising concerns about snow blocking crosswalks at a busy intersection.
"This is the treacherous part, so be careful coming off my hill," said Denise Watkins.
Days after Gloucester City saw its largest snowfall in years, Watkins was carefully climbing over mounds of snow as she struggled to help students cross at Broadway and Market streets on their way to school.
"So I have to try to get the kids up and over that mountain, safely down the other side of it, and hope to God they don't fall and break their butt before they get to school," she said.
One girl slipped and nearly fell Thursday morning, and Watkins said there have been several close calls since schools reopened.
"You're slipping and falling, my kids were slipping and falling, it wasn't a good thing," Watkins said.
Sidewalks have been shoveled, and plows have cleared the roads after the storm, but the snow piles were still blocking part of the crosswalk at all four corners of the busy intersection.
"You get a lot of kids in the afternoon, and I just don't want to see nobody get hurt," said Bruce Pollander, who is also a crossing guard.
A Camden County official told CBS News Philadelphia it is the responsibility of a homeowner or business owner to shovel not only the sidewalk in front of their property, but also from the sidewalk to the curb at an intersection.
After CBS News Philadelphia started asking questions on Thursday, workers at the two gas stations on each corner were chipping away at the solid ice.
Watkins is hoping for a clear path so it's safer for kids to cross.
"My biggest worry is my children, I care about these kids. They're all good kids, they just want to go to school, learn and get home and get there safely, and right now it's kind of hard for them," she said.
The owner of both gas stations assured CBS News Philadelphia his workers will clear a path to make it safer for everyone to cross.
County officials said a crew will also be out to double-check that the area has been cleared.
Cleanup continues in Philadelphia
In North Philadelphia on Thursday, many were still digging out their cars and driveways.
People on Furley Street in Olney said they were dealing with a snowy mess.
Clarence Wright was digging out his truck.
"This is ice, this is solid ice," Wright said. "And these plastic shovels they have now, wasting time. You need a concrete shovel. Metal."
City crews continue to clear the streets. Director of Clean and Green Initiatives Carlton Williams said their efforts have been slowed by the bitter cold. Physically removing the snow from neighborhoods has been the best option in many cases.
"It's when we bring in equipment to actually physically lift the snow out of a neighborhood, put it in another truck, and send it off to its final destination," Williams said.
Neighbors in Olney said they hope the city gets to their streets soon, but some said other drivers not taking the conditions seriously has been the biggest problem.
"Now the two-way streets are like one-way streets. So it's like insane," Jacquie Kuzemka said.
Williams said Philadelphia residents should continue to call 311 if their streets haven't been cleared, and that will help crews know where they still need to go.