Paterson, N.J. residents are frustrated streets are still covered with snow, ice days after the storm

Cars are struggling to navigate the roads and pedestrians can barely make out the crosswalks in Paterson, New Jersey, days after a major snowstorm hit the Tri-State Area. 

Mayor Andre Sayegh said the Garden State's third-largest city is doing its best to cope with an enormous amount of snow, but families say the conditions are unacceptable.

Lifelong Paterson residents say removal efforts have never been this bad. Stacy Drakeford said she would give the city an "F" in terms of a grade for the cleanup.

"I'll give them a zero to be honest with you," added resident Jovanni Garcia. "It's very terrible for us. They always want to clean the main streets, but they forget about the local streets and a lot of us get hit with it."

Public works employees plowing non-stop

Sayegh said employees are doing what they can to clear the roads, adding snow removal in Paterson is always a challenge because there is nowhere for the snow to go.

"We've had four storms this winter. It has been very active. The first three we handled very well, but the fourth, as you know, it was about 15 inches here in Paterson, so it's going to take some time," Sayegh said.

The mayor defended the work the city's crews have done to this point, saying they've been working non-stop since Sunday's massive storm.

"What has exacerbated our operation [is the] frigid temperature. It's cold. When we spread the salt, it prevents it from melting in the fashionable time," Sayegh said.

Don't shovel into the street

On Wednesday morning, emergency snow removal focused on secondary roads. The city also started issuing citations to anyone blocking street parking or dumping snow on the roads.

"I am asking then if they could just shovel it back into their property...not onto the street, because if you do it into the street, you aren't doing anyone a favor," Sayegh said.

Garcia said that's not possible.

"Where else are we going to put it? We can't just throw it back against the sidewalk. People walk on the sidewalk to get to their homes," he said.

The mayor is urging anyone who needs snow removal on their block to contact his office directly.

One mother said she doesn't just blame the city, adding many home and building owners are not shoveling sidewalks, which is their responsibility.

"There are some areas that are clean, but not most ... It's like icy, like black ice, and most of the sidewalks are covered," a woman named Yurianny said. "Some people are very selfish."

Students back to school 

Public school students had snow days Monday and Tuesday because of the road conditions. 

They went back to class Wednesday with a delayed opening and will again on Thursday and Friday, officials said.