Somerville Declares Snow Emergency

SOMERVILLE, MA – A snow emergency has been declared for Somerville ahead of this weekend's expected storm. The emergency will go into effect at 3 p.m. on Saturday, Jan. 19. All vehicles parked on city streets must be moved by 7 p.m. to the even-numbered side of the street unless otherwise posted.

Ticketing and towing will not begin until four hours after the start of the emergency to provide vehicle owners time to find appropriate parking.

Additional parking in City lots: Do not park in school lots

Please note that parking in school lots is no longer allowed during snow emergencies. Gates at school lots will be locked at 7 p.m. for the duration of the emergency. To avoid your vehicle being locked in the lots, ticketed, or towed, be sure to exit the school lots by 7 p.m. Saturday. Those unable to find parking on the correct side of the street may park in other municipal parking lots, such as rink, pool, library, or metered lots, and may remain there for the duration of the emergency but must be moved within two hours of the end of the emergency. Please only move your car to a municipal lot if you have a flexible schedule and are able to move your car at any time with a two-hour notice. For a list of available City lots, please visit www.somervillema.gov/snow.

Sidewalk Shoveling: Flash Freezing Alert!

To ensure safe passage for all, property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property within 6 daylight hours of the end of snowfall. Because of expected wet precipitation followed by flash freezing, ice sheets may form and be hard to clear. If possible, consider shoveling and treating sidewalks as soon as you can. Review cold weather safety tips at www.somervillema.gov/coldweather.

Avoid Parking within 20 feet of an intersection

To leave enough clearance for plows and emergency vehicles, cars parked within 20 feet of an intersection may be subject to ticketing and towing if they are deemed to be likely to restrict access. This regulation is enforced as needed and is especially important to adhere to on narrower streets.

Cancellations and Closings

There will be no school, recreation, or skating rink activities after 7 p.m. Saturday. On Sunday, all city and school activities will be canceled and the libraries and the skating rink will be closed. The Martin Luther King Jr. Event planned for Monday, January 21, has been postponed to Monday, January 28, at 6 p.m. at the East Somerville Community School Auditorium.

Trash pickup delayed by one day this week

Due to the Martin Luther King Jr. Day holiday on Monday, trash pickup will be delayed by one day for the full week.

Snow Shoveling Assistance

The Somerville Teen Shoveling program is a paid program for youth to shovel out seniors or persons with disabilities after a snow storm in Somerville. Teens and homeowners are paired for the season. You must apply and be paired with teen shovelers well in advance of a storm. To enquire how to sign up for future storms, contact Christopher Hosman, Community Services Manager, 617-625-6600 x 2406 orchosman@somervillema.gov.

Driveway use

If you have access to a driveway, please consider using it during snow emergencies, or even sharing it with a neighbor or friend.

City alerts

Community members are encouraged to sign up for the City's alert system at to receive emergency phone, email and/or text message alerts as well as important information for your neighborhood. Sign up for alerts at www.somervillema.gov/alerts or by calling 311 (617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city).

Bike lanes

Bike lanes and cycle tracks will be plowed as part of our snow removal; however, they may have snow or ice buildup for the duration of the storm and for the hours immediately afterward. Please use caution when riding a bike and consider using other modes of transportation if you must travel.

When are snow emergencies called?

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 use all available information to make an informed decision.

How to stay informed about snow emergencies

Once a snow emergency has been declared, residents are notified via multiple lines of communication, including: City alerts, City Cable TV(Comcast Ch. 15 & 22, RCN Ch. 13, 15, & 613), local media (online, radio, print, TV, etc.), City social media including www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity, www.facebook.com/311Somerville, Twitter @SomervilleCity and @311Somerville, the City website www.somervillema.gov, and flashing blue lights activated at 22 key intersections in the City (when lights are flashing, a snow emergency is in effect).

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