STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — The men and women of the Department of Sanitation had their work cut out for them Saturday morning.
Even though Staten Island did not receive the 7 or 8 inches of snowfall initially forecast, the borough did receive plowable accumulation.
The Advance/SILive.com found that many major Staten Island roadways were visibly plowed Saturday morning. While some roads were cleaned to the blacktop, others still had some snow and could perhaps use another pass from a plow.
The department’s BladeRunner 2.0 system came into play with this snowstorm, enhancing the service to Staten Island.
While the system has been in use since late 2023, new tweaks and upgrades are added with each snow event, according to DSNY Deputy Commissioner Joshua Goodman, head of Public Affairs and Customer Experience.
In what was the first real snowstorm since the addition of the upgrades, Staten Islanders reported that roadways were tended to well by the department.
Using nyc.gov/PlowNYC, the Advance/SILive.com found that throughout the morning DSNY tended to borough streets, ensuring major roadways were plowed regularly.
Some local streets went more than six hours without a plow, but the vast majority went no more than three hours without a plow passing by once again.
Midland Avenue in Midland Beach is shown early on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)
“DSNY was on point — garbage was picked up n salt trucks came — it was a win win!! Good job to NY’S strongest,” one Advance/SILive.com commenter said on Instagram.
A Department of Sanitation truck passes on Hylan Boulevard near Tysens Lane in New Dorp on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)
Trent Street, in Great Kills, between Keegan’s and Fieldway, was cleared very well, one reader told the Advance/SILive.com. “The only problem, which is with every storm, is snow being thrown back onto the street instead of it being piled near the curb,’’ the reader said.
Another reader initially complained that South St. Austen’s Place in West Brighton hadn’t gotten attention by late morning. Later, the reader said a salt truck had passed through.
This BladeRunner 2.0 system includes:
Enhanced GPS tracking data for broader time windows, multiple vehicles, and extended history.Google map integration to provide a modern view — with satellite and street view access — for vehicles and facilities.Real-time brine progress data.New visual layer data with brine coverage locations, snow preposition points, and protected bike lane information.Ability to locate vehicles of interest through proximity features and advanced time frame and location search capabilities.Significantly enhanced search capabilities.New cloud-based system to allow for more concurrent users and faster response times.
Richmond Road near New Dorp Lane in New Dorp is shown on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)
“People might be surprised how much technology goes into clearing snow and ice from every roadway in the city — especially if they’re longtime New Yorkers who remember the bygone era of paper plow maps, and of primary, secondary, and tertiary streets,” Goodman told the Advance/SILive.com.
“To put it in layman’s terms, it allows DSNY to see what’s happening in every part of the city in real time, using a combination of GPS and cameras,” he added. “It is a huge part of why we are today providing faster service to areas that used to be “left behind” — the old “tertiary” streets, like parts of Staten Island, can now receive faster, more responsive service, on par with the old “primary” roadways.”
While Goodman touted the new technology, he made it clear that it is the men and women of the department who deserve the credit for their work.
“I have to say though — as much of an upgrade as this is, all technology does is support and assist the actual greatest snow-fighting tool on earth, the 10,000 men and women of this department,“ he said. ”When you see a plowed street today, know that this new technology helps, but the sight of blacktop is ultimately thanks to the efforts of the person driving the salt spreader or the plow.”
Victory Boulevard is shown near Clove Lakes Park in Castleton Corners on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)
Father Capodanno Boulevard is shown near Seaview Avenue in Ocean Breeze on the morning of Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)
The Staten Island Expressway, near Slosson Avenue in Castleton Corners, looks clear on the morning on Saturday, Dec. 27, 2025.(Steve White for the Staten Island Advance)