UPDATE: Snow? So What, Residents Say

Eight inches of snow?  Though most Hillsborough residents spent the day shoveling out driveways or sledding with their kids, most agreed they've seen worse storms.

"I don't think it was that bad, but, then again, I got my landscaper to plow my driveway," Frank Zommer said as he brushed snow from his car.  "In 1994, the snow was four feet high.  I was plowing snow for 40 hours and then had to come home and dig out."

"In a way, the hype's good because it keeps people from driving," he added.  "I'm at the point where I don't have young kids, so I don't go out.  20 years ago, I would have."

With people home from work and school, it was a day of shoveling, playing or, for some, staying inside.

"I've seen worse storms," Chris Cover said.  "Shoveling out is the worst part."

For the township, the storm meant a long night of plowing and salting.  The Hillsborough Department of Public Work's snow clearing crews took to the roads Tuesday around 9 p.m., with many of the crews working until morning, a representative from the office said.

The larger plows began clearing work around midnight and the office estimates having about 35 crews on the roads.

The snow clearing efforts continued through the day, with the plows doing a second sweep of the roads—known as curb-to-curb—after its initial plow.  The second sweep clears the snow from the street entirely.

As a result, the DPW recommends residents wait to shovel driveways to avoid having to dig out the end of the driveway again—and requests that the cleared snow is not thrown into the road.

Officials noted the DPW's adherence to its snow plan allows it to clear the roads well.

"There's always a plan," Mayor Gloria McCauley said.  "The trucks know what direction to go in and where the problems are.  The plan and the consistency is why we get the job done so quickly."

Schools are off and extra-curricular activities canceled, though only about 8.3 inches of snow fell overnight Tuesday into Wednesday.

Township Offices and the Hillsborough Public Library are open Wednesday, however county-operated senior centers, including the one in Hillsborough, are closed. Meals on Wheels deliveries will not be made either because of the weather, according to the county.

Other county offices were open, however.

The Department of Public Works continues its snow removal duties as well, though the office was unable to give a formal report since it is still working to keep roads safe, a representative from the office said.