Blowing, drifting snow causes numerous road closures, stranding motorists across town

Blowing, drifting snow has rendered many roads in Riverhead’s farmbelt impassable this evening. Multiple vehicles have become disabled across town.

Portions of Sound Avenue, Roanoke Avenue north of Joyce Drive, Reeves Avenue, Herricks Lane, Manor Lane, Twomey Avenue and Hulse Landing Road are drifted over have been closed to traffic by police. Other roads and sections of roads are passable but only one lane is open.

Riverhead Town Police are attempting to survey the situation as well as assist stranded motorists. They are also setting up barricades to prevent motorists from entering onto impassable roadways. Strong winds are blowing barricades down.

Riverhead Town Highway crews, meanwhile, have been granted some time off this evening by Highway Superintendent George Woodson.

“They’ve been working since 4 a.m. on two or three hours sleep,” Woodson said in a phone interview this evening. “I told them to get some rest and we’ll be back out again at 10 or 11 tonight,” he said.

“We’ve just got to get a few hours sleep before we can go out again,” Woodson said.

The highway department’s 32-man crew was working against strong winds and heavy snow to keep town roads open yesterday into late last night. Crews were dismissed around midnight to get some rest and returned to work at 4 a.m. today, Woodson said.

“It’s crazy. As soon as you make a pass, the wind blows it right back in. Within 10 minutes it’s like you weren’t even there,” Woodson said.

Riverhead Town Police are asking residents to stay off the roads this evening, as travel is treacherous.

“Travel this evening is not recommended. There are numerous stranded vehicles and road closures,” police said in an advisory issued this evening. The wind and driftin snow are “wreaking havoc with roads, especially north/south roads and roads adjacent to open fields,” police said.