VERNON, Conn. — Several days after Connecticut got some snow, many sidewalks have still not been cleared off. Police departments have been getting calls from concerned people who are having trouble getting to where they need to go.
"We need to make sure that the public is safe, so that's the number one reason that we want you to clear the sidewalks," said Lt. Robert Marra of the Vernon Police Dept.
From kids needing to get to their bus stops, to people out walking their dogs, leaving the sidewalk covered in snow and ice leaves people in dangerous situations.
"It definitely makes it difficult when it's not shoveled with the dog, especially with the safety of slipping and I don't want him to slip especially since he is a puppy," said Shannon Smith of Hebron, who was walking her puppy Canelo in Wethersfield.
In Vernon, a mom walking with her baby and dog were stopped in their tracks by a sidewalk that hadn't been cleared yet.
"It's horrible, we literally were just walking in the road. I just said to him, what are we going to do? It's like you literally have to walk in the road. I have a baby and a dog. People don't clear off the sidewalks at all," said Miranda Szepanski of Vernon.
One of the concerns now is that the snow is now completely frozen solid which makes it even more difficult for people to clean up.
"It's tough now, it's all iced over. It's tough to get to it. We'll work with you. It's a collaborative effort between the town and the people of this community to get it clear so we do have you know public safety," Marra said.
Wethersfield police posted to Facebook saying they had received numerous calls about snow-covered sidewalks.
People also reminded to clear the area around fire hydrants and it's state law to remove snow and ice from cars. Police said if you come across an issue, to let them know.
"We're encouraging the public to report it so we can work with them to get it cleared," Marra said.
Many towns and cities have ordinances that give people a certain amount of time to clear off their sidewalks or face a fine.
Gaby Molina is a reporter and anchor at FOX61 News. She can be reached at gmolina@fox61.com. Follow her on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
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