Orangetown: 70 Streets Closed Due to Tree Damage

Approximately 70 streets in Orangetown are closed due to tree damage from Hurricane Sandy according to a release from Supervisor Andy Stewart at 12:40 p.m. Tuesday.

Many of those trees cannot be cleared without clearance from Orange and Rockland due to downed power lines. Roughly half of the residents of Orangetown are without power.

Stewart said the Q&A session and meeting scheduled for Tuesday have been postponed until Thursday. There will be a question and answer session to discuss the budget, the storm and other town matters at 6 p.m., followed by a police commission and budget meeting at 7 p.m.

The Orangetown Town Hall, Highway Department and DEME (Sewer Dept.) currently have backup power. Orangetown Town Hall is open for urgent business and as a comfort station where residents can recharge cell phones. There is also a wireless internet connection available to the public there.

Travel restrictions have been lifted and the NYS Thruway, Palisades Parkway, Route 303 and Tappan Zee Bridge are open.

Residents are asked to do the following:

• Stay safe and assume all downed utility wires are live.
• Report safety hazards to the Orangetown Police non-emergency number (845) 359-3700.
• Report open businesses including supermarkets, gas stations and hardware stores to supervisor@orangetown.com. That information will be posted to the public later.

All Orangetown Parks are closed. The Joe Clark Trial is impassable.