Poor Plowing Brings Hauppauge Industrial Park to a Standstill

The Hauppauge Industrial Park faced a virtual standstill this morning, as its 55,000 employees were barely able to navigate through the park's poorly plowed roads and rivers that have formed due to overflowing drains, Terri Alessi-Miceli, President of Hauppauge Industrial Association, said.

Alessi-Miceli said that it took most employees more than an hour to get into their offices due to the lack of adequate plowing.

“The roads are horrible and because of all the rain, huge rivers have formed because the drains are now backed up,” she said. 

“All of the roads are horrendous,” she said. She added that two of the main roads, Wireless Boulevard an Arthur Avenue, are causing big problems for drivers trying to get to work, and the smaller roads within the park are even more hazardous.

“People are physically stuck,” she said. 

After a call to the Town of Smithtown, the Association was told that the park had been plowed once and that the highway department would respond to the drainage issue. However, if the issue isn’t fixed by 5 p.m., workers will be at a standstill once more as they attempt to commute home.

The industrial park holds 1,300 companies and 55,000 employees. 

“I’m not sure how all of the employees are going to get out,” Alessi-Miceli said.

Smithtown Supervisor Patrick Vecchio said he expects all town roads to be "passable" by this evening, meaning roads would be opened enough for at least one car could go down them.

Further work to bring plowed roads down to blacktop and remove snow piles from commercial sidewalks and lots will be carried out over the upcoming week, he said, adding that he was only relaying info from Highway Superintendent Glenn Jorgensen.