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Riverhead Residents Worried About Plan To Halt Snowplowing On Private Roads

RIVERHEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- Unless Town of Riverhead residents living on private roads have their streets declared public, they'll no longer receive town snow-plowing services.

That has some raising safety concerns, WCBS 880 Long Island Bureau Chief Mike Xirinachs reported.

"Could be firemen responding to the road could get hurt, delay of getting equipment in there, ambulances," said James, a homeowner. "Safety is priority."

Riverhead Residents Worried About Plan To Halt Snowplowing On Private Roads

The Miller-Goldsteins, of Baiting Hollow, are among the homeowners in the Town of Riverhead who received letters telling them their roads will no longer be plowed by the highway department, CBS2's Jennifer McLogan reported.

"Everyone is in turmoil over this situation. We have had community meetings, people are in tears," said Ed Goldstein.

Oddly enough, the issue surfaced after some homeowners on private streets threatened to sue the town for road damage caused by snowplows.

Upon investigation, the highway department learned state law prohibits them from plowing private streets, as it has done for decades.

"A letter was sent out to the people, and I understand it is a little disturbing to get something like that," said Riverhead Town Highway Superintendent George Woodson. "But after being threatened with litigation and went to the town attorney, we were directed on how to go."

The matter impacts about 900 residents on more than 40 private streets. The Town Board is expected to vote on whether to declare roads public later this month.

"The Town Board is now trying to put the genie back in the bottle and create this legal mechanism that we, the Town Board, can enforce the roads to be plowed," said Riverhead Town Supervisor Sean Walter.

But at what expense? Some private associations are balking, McLogan reported.

"We are giving up our privacy for plowing. That's basically it," said Judith Miller, Oak Hills Association Community. (Is it worth it for you?) We don't have the money for plowing, so we are stuck in the middle."

Some residents said their private streets have been sanded and plowed for years, and plan to fight the changes during the board meeting.

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