Niles townhouse residents stuck waiting for plows

Nearly 100 families were unable to drive their cars until Thursday afternoon, because snow plows couldn't clear or salt the street outside their townhouse complex in Niles.

Residents who live on Prospect and Grand streets park their cars in an alley between those two roadways. The alley of the townhouse complex, near Dempster Street and Milwaukee Avenue, was virtually untouched by the village after Wednesday's blizzard.

Two plows attempted to clear the parking area about 6 a.m. Wednesday morning, but residents reported seeing the drivers experience trouble after moving about 30 feet of snow on the north end. They did not return.

Scott Jochim, director of public services, said plows went through once Tuesday night but then got stuck Wednesday morning.

“On our second pass the small trucks were getting stuck and our bigger plows are too big for that area.”

Assistant Village Manager Steve Vinzeano added the alley would be cleared by the end of the day Thursday. Plows arrived at 12:25 p.m., shortly after the Daily Herald contacted the village, and residents immediately left their homes to begin shoveling, with some taking photos and video of the progress.

“We have streets like Golf, Milwaukee and Dempster and those are some pretty major roadways,” Vinzeano said. “It's difficult to keep those clear and running but they are getting to it. The workers are doing what they can.”

Six families living near the small area touched by the plows — which was somewhat reburied by drifting snow — spent more than four hours Wednesday clearing a section of the alley and their parking spaces. On Thursday morning, only their cars could access a plowed side street. But residents toward the middle and south end of the alley were still walled in by about two feet of snow.

Patty Dalton, 62, was able to dig out her car with the help of a college-age neighbor so she could drive to her job in Hoffman Estates.

“I'm just confused as to why the village still hasn't helped us,” she said. “They put a notice before the storm saying not to park on the side streets, so what are we supposed to do?”

Jochim said Niles workers have been on 12-hour shifts since Tuesday night, and the village even contracted its retired plow drivers and let off-duty firemen help out during the blizzard.

Thursday morning workers cleared another alley that is tricky to access, using front-end loaders and backhoes instead of traditional plows, Jochim said.

Added Vinzeano, “We are doing our best, we really are.”