Office Hours:
7:00 AM to 3:30 PM
Monday through Friday

Phone: (845) 526-3333
Fax: (845) 526-4729

Dear Residents of Putnam Valley and Lake Peekskill:

Providing safe roads for all Putnam Valley and Lake Peekskill residents require a team effort. We have a great team made up of men that are ready, willing and able to work long and hard to combat old man winter.
The Highway Department’s efforts and success would not be possible without the support of the Putnam Valley Town Board. Again this year the Supervisor and Council people have provided the funds necessary to purchase and maintain the equipment and materials necessary to get the job done. They should be congratulated for their foresight and their interest in public safety.

You, the Putnam Valley and Lake Peekskill taxpayer and resident, are a very important part to a successful snow and ice control campaign. Your understanding and cooperation are an integral part of our plan. To help inform you regarding our methods and give you a few helpful hints, we have compiled the following text.

Again, I would like to stress this is a team effort and I would like to thank all of the Highway Department employees, the Town board, the Sheriff’s Department, the Volunteer Fire Department, and Ambulance Corps, the Parks and Recreation Department, Lake Peekskill Improvement District employees, and all of the residents of the community for working together to provide a safe and healthy environment in the Town of Putnam Valley and Lake Peekskill.
Our Mission………….The Putnam Valley Highway Department is dedicated to providing safe, courteous, dependable and economical service, wherever and whenever possible for all our residents.

Mailboxes Damaged by Plows
The Highway Department is not responsible if a snowplow accidentally damages a mailbox while removing snow. (Highway Law S319 sub 11) There is no statutory or legal authority, which grants a property owner or resident along a public highway any right to place a mailbox in a highway right of way. The Highway Superintendent and the State have a duty to keep the highway available for public use. Snow removal and snow storage are an incident of that use. When the necessity of keeping the highway open conflicts with the individual’s receipt of the mail, the latter must stand aside. The owner might even be compelled to remove the box under Highway Law S319 sub 11. The owner has no right to interfere with the speedy and efficient removal of snow by placing the mailbox in such a position as to cause this result, and no liability results on the part of the public official charged with the duty of snow removal if such a box is so placed that it may be injured by proper highway maintenance.
Leaves and Snow

It is prohibited by law to place leaves or snow in the road or town right of way. (Vehicle and Traffic Law 1219 and 1220 sub A).
1219A – Putting glass or other injurious substance on highway is prohibited. No person shall throw or deposit upon any highway any glass bottle, glass, nails, tacks, wire, cans, SNOW or any other substance likely to injure any person, animal, or vehicle upon such highway.
1220A – Throwing refuse on highways and adjacent lands is prohibited. No person shall throw, dump, deposit or place or cause to be thrown, dumped, deposited or placed upon any highway, or with the limits of the right of such highway, or upon private lands adjacent thereto, any refuse, trash, garbage, rubbish, litter or any nauseous or offensive matter.

Before the Snow Falls
Beginning as early as September, the Putnam Valley Highway Department begins preparing for the winter months ahead by reviewing snow removal routes and servicing equipment. Preparation and servicing of equipment for the upcoming winter continues through November while Highway Department crews expedite the pickup of loose leaves from the residential areas of the Town. November is an extremely critical time, as the equipment used for snow removal operations is used for the removal of loose leaves, and our focus can change at very short notice.

The Highway Department’s salt storage facility is stockpiled with 3,000 tons of salt while 5,000 gallons of magnesium chloride is contained in two storage tanks and 10,000 gallons of liquid salt brine is contained in three storage tanks, this is 60% of our normal seasonal requirement. In order to be properly prepared for inclement weather during the snow season, the Highway Department continually monitors daily weather conditions via satellite and receive daily weather reports from local weather sources and the National Weather Service.

When the Snowfall Starts
An important step in dealing with snowfall is street salting. Top priority is given to the Town’s main roads. These roads are routes that the Town has found to have the heaviest year-round traffic and usually are major arteries running north/south or east/west that have double yellow centerlines. Putnam County Highway maintains Church Road, Mill St. Peekskill Hollow Rd. Oscawana Lake Road and part of Sprout Brook Rd. and Route 301.

The snow removal process starts when frozen precipitation begins falling. Operations initiate with the application of salt and magnesium chloride to the roads and continue until the roads are clear or material application is no longer effective due to the depth of the snow.

When the Snowfall Continues
When two or three inches of snow have accumulated and more is expected, snow is more economically removed by plowing rather than salting. All public roads, main thoroughfares and residential roads will be plowed by Highway Department personnel. Our first responsibility is to open the main roads. These arterials are the key to providing safe access for emergency vehicles as well as maintaining the steady flow of traffic since most residents live in close proximity of such a route. The plows then continue to all roads on the route to “open up” each one in sequence. If the storm continues in intensity, the trucks remain in that same pattern until the storm abates. At that time, the trucks begin to “widen out” all roads by pushing the accumulated snow back to the curb line and clearing intersections.

Remember, trained crews work around the clock during these storms to keep the roads open and passable. If you wish to report a hazardous condition, call the Highway Department at 526-3333. If there is a medical emergency, call 911 or contact the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department at 225-4300.

After the Storm is Over
Crews continue to monitor all roads for icy spots and areas where winds redeposit the snow in traffic lanes. Usually an application of salt and/or sand is applied to all roads so the riding surface remains drivable. If the accumulation is particularly heavy, crews are dispatched to clear catch basins so that melting snow can run off.

You may wish to avoid a potential problem and also be of assistance to your neighbors by cleaning off a catch basin. Please avoid creating a hazard by discarding snow from your driveway into the roadway.

Parking and Travel Regulations
There is no parking on any Town Road from November 15th through April 15th of each year. Vehicles parked illegally or abandoned on roads are subject to towing at the owner’s expense as well as being ticketed by the Sheriff’s Department.

As soon as you are aware that bad weather is on the way, make sure your vehicle is off the road. This protects your car from being splashed with slush, becoming plowed in, or being hit by passing vehicles. Best of all, the snowplow has space to plow the snow.

Be Prepared, Be Aware and Be Patient
Before it snows, remember last year’s problems and try to tackle them in advance. If you do your own snow removal, have your tools and supplies handy. Shovels, snow blowers, calcium chloride, road salt and sand should be ready before the season begins. If you hire someone to do your snow removal, make those arrangements early. It can be difficult to find someone in the middle of a storm.

Make arrangements to have adequate food supplies on hand. Keep flashlights, a battery powered radio and emergency equipment on hand in case of disruption in the power supply.

Area news media will announce approaching storms and will disseminate information on school closing and meeting cancellations. They will also note road closing or re-routings.

Please do not go out during or immediately after a snowstorm unless it is truly necessary. Crews have many hours of hard work to complete their snow clearing operations. Less traffic on the road means that we will be able to clear the roads more quickly and completely. Under the best of conditions, it will take us at least 8 hours from the time it stops snowing completely, to complete our snow removal operations.

Remember, whether it is your driveway for which you are responsible or the 94 miles of roads for which we are responsible, snow removal is an arduous and time consuming task. Please understand that the Highway Department cannot shovel ridges or windrows from your driveway entrance, nor can we plow private property.

Tips & Suggestions
* When shoveling out the mouth of your driveway, throw it to the right of your driveway as you
Face the street or “downstream”. Throwing or plowing snow in the road can create a patch of snow and ice that freezes over and causes a hazardous condition. Besides, it will only be re-deposited when the plow comes around again.

* If at all possible, finish clearing your driveway entrance after the final widening pass has been completed.
Helpful Hint: Leave a strip of snow at the edge of your driveway; this will block some of the snow from entering your driveway when the plow widens the roadway. The final widening pass is usually completed approximately 8 to 10 hours after the snow stops completely. This, of course, depends on the severity of the storm.

* Plan alternate ways and extra time to travel to main routes and to your place of employment.

* Remember! Slow down, brake slowly and allow plenty of room between you and the vehicle ahead of you.

* During times of reduced visibility, watch for pedestrians, bicycles and disabled vehicles.
* Maintain your vehicle properly. Equip your car with snow tires or chains and keep your windshield, headlights and taillights clean at all times.

Questions & Answers
1. Why does the Highway Department provide snow and ice control?
To keep roadways open and safe for emergency response by the Sheriff, Fire and Ambulance Services and to provide access to home, work, school and mobility to all Putnam Valley and Lake Peekskill residents.

2. Why does the Highway Department have to plow from curb to curb?
To keep the roads clean of snow and ice, and allow melting snow to reach catch basins.

3. Why should I not throw snow into the road?
Snow thrown back onto the roadway may freeze causing hazardous road conditions. You may cause injury to family, friends or neighbors.

4. I cannot shovel my driveway because I am elderly or disabled, what should I do?
Make arrangements with a family member, friend, neighbor or hire a contractor to do this for you.

5. My car was towed, where is it?
Call the Putnam County Sheriff’s Department at 225-4300

6. Who can I call if I have a question regarding the Town’s snow removal service?
Call the Putnam Valley Highway Department at 526-3333

7. I’d like to make a suggestion on snow removal: Where should I send it?

Send suggestions to the Putnam Valley Highway Department, 265 Oscawana Lake Rd, Putnam Valley, NY 10579 or FAX 526-4729 or E-mail us.

Town Government
Town Clerk 526-3280
Board of Assessors 526-2517
Court/Judges 526-3050
District Clerk 526-2160
Parks & Recreation 526-3292
Planning Board 526-3740
Zoning Board of Appeals 526-2439
Building Department 526-2377
Dog Control Officer 526-3293
Supervisor 526-2121
Facilities Manager 526-9114

County Government Offices
Office for the Aging 526-4094
County Clerk’s Office 225-3641
Board of Elections 278-6970
911 non emergency center 225-4860
Environmental Health 278-6130

Area Utility Companies
NYSEG 1-800-572-1131
Verizon 890-6611
Cablevision 1-914-962-4444

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