Poughkeepsie Declares Snow Emergency

POUGHKEEPSIE – A Snow Emergency has been declared beginning at 12:00 AM MIDNIGHT on Tuesday, March 14th 2017. The Snow Emergency will remain in effect until further notice.

Updates on the Snow Emergency will be available on this website, all City social media and local media outlets. Residents are advised to only call 911 in the case of an emergency, and to call 845-451-4000 for all non-emergency phone calls. Mayor Rob Rolison would like to take the opportunity to remind City residents and visitors about the regulations that are put into effect when a “Snow Emergency” is declared.

Sanitation & Recycling Collection

Please do not put garbage on the street. Sanitation & Recycling will be cancelled from Tuesday, March 14th – Wednesday, March 15, 2017. Sanitation will resume as scheduled on Thursday, March 16, 2017. City Bus Service City Bus Service is cancelled for Tuesday, March 14th 2017. Service will be cancelled until further notice. City Hall City Hall is closed to the public and to all non-essential personnel for Tuesday, March 14th 2017.

Snow Removal

All residents are advised to check the map to inquire if your street is part of the Emergency Route. Each one of the seven snow fighting sections has a pre-established priority listing of streets to plow. Priorities are established by the following street designations:

Snow Emergency Routes (heavily traveled/hospital access roads)
Arterials (Routes 44 and 55)
Steep graded hills and sharp curves
Residential streets Cul-de-Sacs and dead-ends Service Drives

With snow predicted to accumulate 2-3 inches per hour, residents should be assured that their streets will be plowed, but we ask for patience as we address the impacts of this potentially major snow event.

Residents are asked to try to wait until plow equipment has come through on their street before clearing your driveway. Residents and business owners must clear sidewalks in front of and adjacent to their residences and businesses, as required by the City ordinance. Placing snow into any roadway is a violation of the City of Poughkeepsie Code of Ordinances. Please comply with all parking regulations for your street.

Snow Emergency Routes

During a “Snow Emergency,” vehicles are required to be removed from streets that are designated as a snow emergency route. The City is also encouraging those who do not live along a snow emergency route to relocate their vehicles to City Municipal lots during the storm to facilitate clean-up. Vehicles that are legally registered, inspected, and insured may be parked in a City of Poughkeepsie municipal parking lot that is open to the public, free of charge, during a declared snow emergency. Vehicles that are parked on snow emergency routes during a declared snow emergency are subject to ticketing, towing, or impounding at the vehicle owner’s expense. If your vehicle is towed, an impound fee must be paid prior to it being released. Instructions for release can be obtained by calling the City of Poughkeepsie Police Department at (845) 451-4000. Vehicles should not be parked on snow emergency routes until the snow emergency is cancelled. Snow emergency routes can be found below. Please check the website for updates throughout the storm.

Designated Snow Emergency Routes:

* Mill Street from Civic Center Plaza to Dongan Square Park
* Academy Street from Main Street to North-South Arterial Highway
* Beechwood Avenue from Ferris Lane to City line
* South Cherry Street from Main Street to Hooker Avenue
* Civic Center Plaza from Mansion Street to Main Street
* North Clinton Street from Mansion Street to Route 44/55, westbound
* Columbia Street from North-South Arterial Highway to Lincoln Avenue
* North Clover Street from Mill Street to Main Street
* South Clover Street from Main Street to Union Street
* Ferris Lane from Hooker Avenue to Beechwood Avenue
* Grand Avenue from City line at Main Street to Hooker Avenue
* North Hamilton Street from Parker Avenue to Main Street
* South Hamilton Street from Main Street to Livingston Street
* Hooker Avenue from South Hamilton Street to City line
* Jefferson Street, Route 44/55 to Lincoln Avenue
* Lincoln Avenue from Montgomery Street to Livingston Street
* Main Street from Hudson River to City line at Grand Avenue
* Mansion Street from Smith Street to North Clinton Street
* Market Street from Main Street to Montgomery Street
* Montgomery Street from Lincoln Avenue to South Hamilton Street
* Parker Avenue from Washington Street to City line
* Reade Place from South Avenue to Young Street
* Smith Street from City line to Clinton Square
* South Avenue from Montgomery Street to North-South Arterial Highway
* Washington Street from City line to Main Street
* Wilbur Boulevard from Hooker Avenue to City line

Clearing Snow from Hydrants

When shoveling your driveway and sidewalk, please remove the snow from around any fire hydrant common to your home or property. Clearing the snow around the hydrant and shoveling a path to it from the street will give the Fire Department the access that they need.

Under the Codes of the City of Poughkeepsie there is a responsibility of the owner/lessee of property fronting a hydrant to maintain the area clear around the hydrant. Failure to clear and keep clear a hydrant may result in a $100 fine or more.