Middletown Mayor Urges Patience as City Trucks Away 16-Inch Snow, Warns Towing

Middletown officials began removing and hauling away roughly 16 inches of snow after a storm left streets, sidewalks and driveways clogged, and Mayor Joseph DeStefano urged patience as crews worked to restore safe passage. The mayor acknowledged resident frustration about snow being pushed back onto sidewalks and driveways while praising Department of Public Works crews who logged long shifts to keep main routes, including hospital routes, open.

The city said that because of the sheer volume of snow and limited storage space, it started overnight snow removal operations from 10:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m. Those operations included physically loading and trucking snow from certain streets and parking areas to clear room that plowing alone could not create. Notices to the public warned that where No Parking signs are placed in snowbanks, vehicles will be towed, and enforcement may extend to very narrow residential streets to allow trucks and plows to operate.

Local impact was immediate. Residents who rely on on-street parking faced sudden displacement when tow signs appeared in snow berms that had been created by earlier plows. Homeowners contended with driveway berms and shoveled snow pushed back by passing trucks, complicating access for cars and pedestrians. City leaders emphasized that throwing snow back into the street is illegal and hazardous for drivers, plow operators and emergency vehicles, and asked residents to refrain from doing so.

Public safety angles informed several of the city’s decisions. Department of Public Works crews prioritized routes serving hospitals and other critical services to maintain emergency access. The mayor also reminded able residents to clear around fire hydrants to aid first responders if needed. In addition to towing enforcement where signs are posted, the city invited residents to sign up for Middletown emergency alerts for real-time information about closures, parking restrictions and removal schedules.

For many Orange County neighbors, the short-term disruptions are the tradeoff for longer-term clearance of primary corridors and parking zones. Expect overnight removal work while storage space and cold-weather logistics limit how quickly snow can be trucked away. Residents should heed posted No Parking notices, relocate vehicles when requested and avoid pushing snow back into cleared roadways. Compliance will speed up the process and reduce the likelihood of towing as crews finish the heavy lifting.