Snow In Somerville: What You Need To Know

SOMERVILLE, MA – Forecasts are calling for as much as one to two feet of snow this weekend in Massachusetts. Here's what you need to know before the storm hits Somerville. We'll update this story with cancellations as we hear of them, but, in the meantime, keep the following in mind (all info courtesy of the city of Somerville website):

Snow Policies and Procedures

A snow emergency may be declared whenever four or more inches of snow are predicted. City officials closely monitor storm forecasts through various means, and will use all available information to make an informed decision as swiftly as possible. Once a snow emergency has been declared, residents will be notified via multiple lines of communication as outlined below.
Communication of a Snow Emergency

The City of Somerville’s Communications Department will notify community members in the following ways:

• Citywide alerts issued by phone, email, and/or text message to subscribed users. Community members are urged to subscribe to this system to receive updated information about these and other important messages from the City.
• Cable TV: Announcements via City Cable TV (Channel 22 for Comcast customers, Channel 13 for RCN customers) and Educational TV (Channel 15).
• Local media: Information is distributed to local and regional print, radio and TV news media for posting to their sites.
• Social media: Postings on City social media feeds, including:
  • Facebook: www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity; www.facebook.com/311Somerville
  • Twitter: @SomervilleCity; @311Somerville
• City website: Alerts posted to the City website homepage at www.somervillema.gov and snow page at www.somervillema.gov/snow
• Flashing blue lights: These lights have been placed at 22 key intersections in the City. When lit, a snow emergency is in effect.
• Call 311 if you have questions.

Off-Street Parking: Municipal parking lots are available to residents during snow emergencies.
OFF-STREET PARKING MAP
Plowing Procedures

All streets will be treated with salt or sand prior to or during snowfall as appropriate. During snow emergencies, plows will push snow as close to the curb as possible in order to assure proper clearance and safety for vehicles, particularly emergency vehicles. While we do our absolute best to avoid plowing extra snow onto sidewalks and driveways in this process, sometimes it is unavoidable, particularly in a very densely populated community, and we are truly sorry for those instances where it does happen. Please know that any feedback you provide is taken very seriously and we communicate in real-time with our plow drivers and other staff to work to avoid similar situations in the future.

Streets and public walkways will be plowed or cleared in the order as follows:

• Main roads, cross streets, bus routes
• “Hospital hills”
• Schools
• Public bus stops/ramps/bridges
• City Squares (including traffic islands)
• Side streets
• Public sidewalks abutting municipal property including schools
• Bus route sidewalks and crosswalks
• Public sidewalks abutting private properties. The City of Somerville will assume property owners’ responsibilities for sidewalks abutting private properties if owners have failed to clear their walkways after no more than 24 daylight hours following the end of a snow event.

During snow emergencies, our crews work around the clock to ensure our streets remain safe and accessible for all residents. Please note that many factors may contribute to some amounts of snow accumulating on your street before a plow can return to re-plow, particularly in storms with larger accumulations and/or with heavier snow. Requests received via social media and through 311 are tracked in real-time and communicated to the Department of Public Works. Requests are prioritized based on severity and emergencies first and foremost. However, we do our best to respond to each and every request as possible. If you would like to log a request or ask a question of our City crews, please call 311, or log onto one of our social media feeds.

Parking

Because winter starts in an even year this year (2018), when a snow emergency is in effect, parking is allowed on the even-numbered side of the street ONLY, unless the street has posted signage that states otherwise. Vehicles parked on the odd-numbered side of the street must either be moved to the even side or to another location. Due to parking limitations in the city, municipal lots will be made available to residents during snow emergencies. The City maintains a list and map of available lots. Vehicles MUST be moved from the odd side within four hours after the snow emergency has been declared, or they will be ticketed and towed in accordance with the City Code of Ordinances.

Important: Parking is no longer allowed in school parking lots.

Parking meters and timed parking limits are not enforced during snow emergencies. As long as there is no posted sign stating otherwise, and as long as the spot is on the even-numbered side of the road, you may park your vehicle there during the snow emergency.

It is important that vehicles be parked only on one side of the street as noted above to ensure plows can make all roads accessible and safe, particularly for emergency vehicles. Ticketing AND towing of vehicles parked on the odd-numbered side of the road (or as otherwise posted) will commence four hours after the snow emergency is declared. Parking-related fines during snow emergencies include:

• Failure to Move Car to Proper Side of Street: $100
• Tow Zone / Obstructing Plow: $100
• Parked within 10 feet of Fire Hydrant/Designated Fire Lane: $100
• Parked within 20 feet of an Intersection (state law): $100

Fees imposed by the towing company are:

• Towing Charge: $90
• Daily Storage Fee: $35/day

If your vehicle is towed during a snow emergency, you should contact Pat’s Towing at 617-776-5810.

Off-Street Parking: Municipal parking lots are available to residents during snow emergencies.
Parking on a limited number of streets will not alternate during snow emergencies. For an explanation of why some streets have posted exceptions to the general rule, click here.

Shoveling

What to Clear: Owners of any home and/or building abutting a public way are responsible for ensuring that the sidewalk and accessible ramps in front of their property, and extending to the corner if on a corner lot, are clear of ice and snow, in accordance with Section 12-8 of the City Code of Ordinances. For properties abutting sidewalks with curb cuts, ramps, or other access points, property owners are responsible for shoveling proper pathways for access.

How to Clear Sidewalks: Per state ADA requirements and City ordinance, sidewalks must be shoveled to a minimum of 36 inches wide to allow wheelchair passage.

When to Clear Sidewalks: The time frame in which residents/property owners have to shovel before getting a ticket has changed. The new policy is that sidewalks must be cleared within 6 daylight hours after snow stops falling.

Enforcement/Ticketing: Failure to comply with this ordinance will result in fines in accordance with Section 1-11, as noted below:

• 1st offense: $50.00
• 2nd offense: $100.00
• 3rd offense: $200.00

Enforcement/Clean and Lien: If sidewalks abutting private property remain uncleared after 24 daylight hours from the end of the snow emergency (or snowfall if no emergency was declared), the City will make every effort to dispatch crews or contractors to the address for snow and ice removal. This work shall be carried out in accordance with the priorities listed under “Plowing Procedures.” In order for the City to recover its costs for the clearance of such snow and ice from public sidewalks abutting private properties, additional fines will be assessed and charged via a lien placed on the property in question.

Reporting Uncleared Sidewalks: City Inspectors regularly patrol the city following each snow event, tracking properties that do not comply with City Ordinances for snow and ice removal. These properties are documented within City databases, and violations are issued. Clean-and-lien activities will also ensue according to the procedures noted above.

Tip: However, if you notice any sidewalk, public access route, ramp, etc. that has not been cleared of snow and ice up to the minimum width of 36 inches, please contact 311 by calling 3-1-1, emailing 311Updates@somervillema.gov, or reporting issues via Facebook (www.facebook.com/311Somerville) or Twitter (@311Somerville, @SomervilleCity). The City of Somerville maintains work orders and requests for these issues to help to track problem areas.

Do Not Shovel Snow or Ice Into the Street, Unless... Per Section 12-9 of the City Code of Ordinances, Residents/property owners may not shovel snow or ice into public streets unless all of the following conditions are met:

• The mean temperature for that day is above 40 degrees Fahrenheit (snow should be soft),
• It is during daylight hours,
• Snow or ice is broken up and spread evenly.

City Responsibilities

The Somerville Department of Public Works and its contractors clear all 462 streets in Somerville, and they are responsible for clearing sidewalks abutting public property, walkways in municipal parks and open spaces, crosswalks, curb ramps and landings that provide access to push buttons at signalized crosswalks, and bus stops and paths to and from bus stops including crosswalks and accessible ramps throughout the City. Streets and walkways will be treated with salt or sand prior to or during snowfall as appropriate.

In larger snow events, our goal is always to plow snow as close to the curb as possible. While we do our absolute best to avoid plowing extra snow onto sidewalks and driveways in this process, sometimes it is unavoidable, particularly in a very densely populated community. Please know that any feedback you provide is taken very seriously and we communicate in real-time with our plow drivers and other staff to work to avoid similar situations in the future.

To ensure that we can plow as close to the curb as possible, City parking restrictions during snow emergencies will be strictly enforced (see “Snow Emergency Regulations”). Failure to comply with stated parking regulations will result in a $100 fine and your vehicle will be towed at the vehicle owner’s expense, per Section 11-2 of the City’s Code of Ordinances. To ease parking demand, the City will make municipal parking lots available to residents at no cost for the duration of a snow emergency (see Snow Emergency Regulations for restrictions and the list and map of snow emergency parking lots.)

Alerts

Don't miss out on important information. Sign up to get alerts about detours and construction, major events, snow emergencies, and more. It's up to you how we stay in touch; you can choose to get City alerts via phone call, text message, or email.

Related: MA Weather: 1 to 2 Feet Of Snow Expected This Weekend

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