The Highway Department maintains more than 1,200 miles of roadway along with 163 town parking fields. Roads and parking fields must be repaired, cleaned and striped for safe driving. In appropriate seasons, leaves and snow are cleared from the roadways; in addition, thousands of catch basins are maintained, as well as 2,200 miles of storm-water drains. The Highway Department also assists in removing trees that have fallen in severe weather, clears dead animals from the streets and picks up abandoned vehicles when authorized to do so by local police departments.
Tree Removal: In the Town of Hempstead, homeowners are responsible for maintaining the area from the curb to 10 feet back from the property line. This section is known as the town right-of-way. Any work being done in that area by a homeowner or a utility company requires a permit from the Town of Hempstead's Highway Department.
On request, the town will inspect a tree to determine if it is dead, dying or diseased. Although the maintenance of curbside trees is the responsibility of the abutting property owner, the town will arrange to remove a dead, dying or diseased tree after receipt of a written request directed to the Engineering Department at 350 Front Street, Hempstead, NY, 11550. A fee of $350 per tree accompanies this service; for seniors (age 62 and over), the tree-removal fee is $175. (Seniors must provide proof of age and ownership of the property.)
Tree Planting: The Town of Hempstead will plant curbside trees in front of a residential property at the written request (to the Front Street address above) of the property owner. Upon receipt of the letter, a Town inspector will visit the property to determine if it is a suitable location for planting.
The guidelines for where a tree can be planted include distance from a corner, existing tree spacing, width of the grass strip, underground utility locations, and/or distance to a driveway. After the site visit by the inspector, the Engineering Department will send a response letter to the homeowner indicating the number of trees that have been approved for planting, along with a color brochure indicating the type of trees available.
The fee for planting is currently set at $150 per tree planted, regardless of the type(s) of tree selected by the homeowner. The fee will be waived for seniors, age 62 and over. (Seniors must provide proof of age and ownership of the property.) If you have any questions regarding the program please call the Engineering Department at 516-812-3479.
Leaf Collection: Residents are responsible for the removal of leaves on their own property. Leaves should be bagged and left out for yard waste collection according to the sanitation schedule; at no time should leaves be raked into roadways. Naturally fallen leaves will be removed from roadways beginning the first week of November through the second week of December, weather permitting.
Street Sweeping: Beginning in early April, town roadways are swept on a scheduled basis. Schedules are mailed to each resident indicating specific days of service. Residents are requested to remove their cars from the roadway during scheduled street-sweeping dates between the hours of 8am and 3pm.
Pothole Repair: Potholes should be reported directly to the Highway Department at 516-489-5000, with the exact street address and the nearest cross street. During the winter months, the Highway Department will fill the potholes with temporary cold patch, until permanent repairs can be made the following spring.
Storm Drains: Storm drains are for the runoff of rainwater and snow. Should you notice a storm drain that is clogged, please notify the Highway Department immediately at 516-489-5000.
Snow Removal: When snow is predicted, residents are asked to remove their vehicles from roadways so snowplows can clear streets efficiently and effectively. Please wait until snowplows have cleared streets before shoveling driveways and sidewalks. Always shovel snow to the right of your driveway apron (as you face the street) so plows do not push snow back in front of your driveway. Fire departments depend on neighbors to clear snow away from hydrants so they can access them quickly in the event of a fire. If you live on a corner, please also clear a path from the sidewalk to the street at the corner for pedestrians.