Portland Offices, Schools Closed for Today

Portland schools and town offices remained closed today as work crews continue to clear town streets of snow.

First Selectwoman Susan Bransfield said that while all town roads were plowed well enough to make them passable by Sunday night, the travel lanes of the streets are narrowed from the snow banks and navigating intersections are tricky because of high snow banks.

“Our goal was by Sunday at 5 p.m. to have every publicly-owned road cleared and we were able to get every road at least passable,” Bransfield said. She added, however, that drivers should use “extreme caution” because “you just can’t see around the snow banks. Our guys are out there with the loader trying to get rid of some of that, but it just takes forever. I’m very proud of our (public works) department and the ability to get the job done.”

She said she’s also grateful for the patience local residents have shown during and after the storm.

“Everyone has been very helpful in terms of neighbors helping neighbors. It’s been a very cooperative snowstorm.”

The town still has more than $62,000 in the budget for storm cleanup and related costs and Bransfield said she’s not sure if Portland will be eligible for federal relief under the federal emergency declaration that was issued for Connecticut over the weekend.

Right now officials are keeping a wary eye on rain that moved into the state overnight, bringing icing conditions to some roads. Bransfield said with the snow clogging many of the town’s storm drains the rainwater and melting snow will have nowhere to drain.