After Long Winter, North Hempstead Looks To Clear Debris Through 'Operation Clean Sweep'

NORTH HEMPSTEAD, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) -- A winter for the ages left behind dangerous debris. Road salt, sand, and rocks have created a public safety hazard for drivers and pedestrians.

On Monday, one suburban town is fighting back.

"Picking up debris from the snow, rocks, stones from the potholes. Very dangerous, can kick up and break a windshield on a car," North Hempstead highway employee Frank Calo told CBS2's Jennifer McLogan.

As part of 'Operation Clean Sweep,' over the next two weeks, every town street will get the once over, or more. In all it will cover 900 miles of roads.

"We go from the Queens line to Westbury. We go north to Port Washington, south to Garden City," North Hempstead Highway Superintendent Thomas Tiernan said, "We want to get up all this debris before it goes to our freshwater catch basins to help out the environment."

The sand and salt can leak into ponds and tributaries and damage local water filtration systems.

A drive through town revealed plastic, glass, leaves, sticks, sand, and rocks covering streets.

North Hempstead's goal is to set an example. If town roads are cleared, then it is hoped that state, county, and villages will follow.

After such a brutal winter, budgets are stressed, but sweeping is imperative for the environment and public safety.

"It is very, very important for our residents to make sure their cars are off the street. Just as it is for snow plowing, so that the machines can do the job that they need to do," North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth said.

The town expects to sweep up more than 4 million pounds of debris from its streets over the next two weeks.