Kettering homeowners heated over roads

KETTERING, Ohio (WDTN) - "To me, that risks my life," says Daniel Roberts.

If Pauline Avenue isn't clear, it could be a matter of life and death, according to Roberts.

He's forced to use oxygen because of a lung disease.

"I've had an emergency where I had to be taken to the hospital, in the snow,  The ambulance had to come and go through this.  The streets were not cleaned, well they had trouble getting in and out of here,' comments Roberts.

He's lived in Kettering for more than 30 years and says he's called the city several times over the years, upset about the snow and ice on his street.

"This street is very seldom cleaned off, very seldom.  I want the streets maintained like the other ones are.  I'm paying taxes too you know," explains Roberts.

After the big snow in December, people complained about the city's plowing practices.

So, the city took action and now allows the salting of residential streets, in addition to main roads.

"It's just another tool for the toolbox, should the conditions warrant we do that.  We have that available to us," says Dave Duritsch with the Kettering Streets Department.

2 News spoke with Kettering City Manager Mark Schwieterman Saturday night.

He says the residential streets were salted Thursday, before Friday's snow, but there wasn't a big enough accumulation to plow.

He also says he drove around Saturday and the streets seemed fine, just some slush and snow.

But, Roberts' grandson Cody says he's worried his grandpa will need to go to the hospital again and a few minutes could be life-saving.

"If we needed an ambulance, it makes it hard for them to get down here because they slide just as well as we do," comments Cody Roberts.

Schwieterman says if the roads are still in bad shape Monday, crews will treat them again.