Highway Excellence

I had the misfortune of having to commute home from downtown Albany to Rotterdam on Thursday afternoon during our first real snowstorm of the season. Circumstances forced me to travel locally which turned a normal 30-40 minute ride into a one and one half hour, bumper to bumper, 5 mph crawl.

It was definitely snowing at a rate that presented challenges for even the most seasoned road crews. I don’t recall having seen one plow in Albany and the roads reflected it. It wasn’t until I reached Guilderland that matters improved. It was a stark difference that demonstrated it was possible to keep the roads clear.

As I moved westward into Rotterdam, the roads were even better. I was completely stunned, even though I always admired the fine job Rotterdam seems to do on their highways when it snows. I figured it must be a fluke…that only the particular road I was on was in this good shape. I was wrong.

When I arrived home safely, I discovered my misfortune would continue because my daughter needed a ride to work. I’d have to drive throughout Rotterdam to get her there. I was amazed at how clean the roads were! It was a stellar job performed in adverse conditions by the Town of Rotterdam Highway Department.

When the plow visited my subdivision while I was shoveling out my home shortly afterwards, I witnessed first-hand the expertise and excellence of the Rotterdam Highway Department. The plow driver meticulously proceeded through the development, informing residents he saw that he’d soon be making another pass. This gave them the opportunity to keep their cars out of his path and provide for a much cleaner job. He even honked for some to give them the chance. This little extra effort required nothing but caring for the job he was doing and consideration for the residents. It did not impede or slow him down at all, and actually probably helped him to not to have to return to the neighborhood again.

I’d like to acknowledge the outstanding work of the Town of Rotterdam Highway Department for their superior efforts to provide safe roads. You should be proud because from what I experienced, you clearly outperformed many of our neighboring communities. Keep up the great work!