Bridgeport, Conn., Residents Furious They Are Still Snowed In 4 Days Later

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (CBSNewYork) -- Connecticut's largest city continues to struggle with last week's epic snowfall.

Streets remain blocked. Some residents remain snow-bound. Even main drags are choked with ice and snowpack. Some suggested Tuesday they'd be better off anywhere else.

"I want this street plowed now!" resident Laurie Bala said.

"My daughter lives in Boston and she's at work, works at Harvard. We're still stuck, yeah," resident Trisha Winton said.

"I have friends in other towns. They got just as much snow and they were cleared yesterday or Sunday," George Seri added.

Front end loaders were arriving from Danbury and even as far away as Buffalo for Bridgeport's big dig.

"We are trapped," one Bridgeport resident told WCBS 880's Paul Murnane. "This city is a joke."

"We plowed our own street," one resident told Murnane. "By hand. Two days."

Bridgeport's mayor said the city is a victim of the storm's intensity combined and some unique topography.

"We have a densely populated area and very narrow streets and cars are all over the place. Many of them still stranded where they were abandoned," Mayor Bill Finch said.

Finch said he hoping city teachers will use this week for winter break instead of next as had been scheduled. Resources that would've been used to clear schools are on the streets.

"Sunday, we're going to have every road passable. But it's just going to take probably at least another week to clear the streets completely," Finch said.

Tired of waiting for an official response, neighbors started helping neighbors. CBS 2's Lou Young saw one front loader that was privately owned.

As were a lot of shovels.

"Who knows when they're going to get to this? You know what? It's the entire city, the entire area," resident John Yorke said.

And after two days of melting, it's only getting heavier and more difficult to shovel. People are finding new ways to get around.

"I use the show to get through the snow. The weight! The weight of the snow gets me through the snow," Pat McCarthy said.

You know it's bad when police need to be ferried to their radio calls by the National Guard.

"I guess you could say that. It's more of a limousine!" Tech Sgt. Jesse said.

As for those who haven't been able to get to work, Gary Fallen, who is an employment attorney in Westport, said there's really no legal protection for workers, but added the good graces of an employer go a long way.

"What my principle message to employers would be [is] to kind of use common sense and have empathy for your employees because this, it's something where there may be some people who take advantage of this, most people would rather be at work doing their job," Fallen told WCBS 880 Connecticut Bureau Chief Fran Schneidau.

One tip he had for for workers is to be honest. Fallen said if your child's school is closed, explain that that is the reason you must stay home from work. The boss, he said, will appreciate your honesty.

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