Worcester Snow Removal Efforts Continue Amid Winter Weather Emergency

WORCESTER, MA — Snow removal efforts in Worcester are continuing in Worcester days after the city declared a Winter Weather Emergency.

This comes after a major winter storm touched down in Worcester and across New England on Sunday and Monday, bringing cold temperatures with wind chills as low as -20 degrees Fahrenheit, along with 22.4 inches of snow in the city.

On Tuesday, the city said the emergency notice placed in effect at 4 p.m. on Friday will remain in effect until further notice, and the Declared Winter Parking Ban, which went into effect on Sunday, will also continue.

All municipal garages remain free of charge during the parking ban. Those include Major Taylor Garage (30 Major Taylor Blvd.), Federal Plaza Garage (570 Main St.), Pearl & Elm Garage (20 Pearl St.), Worcester Common Garage (3 Eaton Place), and Union Station Garage (225 Franklin St.).Worcester police have been ticketing and towing residents who are not in compliance with the ban.

The city said that as of 1 p.m. on Tuesday, the police department had issued 720 tickets and towed 400 cars.

Worcester Public Schools were also closed on Monday and Tuesday.

Related: Worcester Schools Closed Monday, Tuesday Amid Major Winter Storm

Snow Removal Efforts In Worcester

Snow removal in the city has been a point of contention for many years, and the city admitted last week that it faced challenges hiring and retaining employees to do the work, CBS Boston reported.

Worcester spends about $6 million a year on snow removal, including salaries, equipment, and supplies. Still, city leaders said the budget isn't the problem; it's staffing.

On Sunday morning, Worcester went into general plow operations with 72 municipal vehicles and 295 private contractors, who worked through the night and cleared the roads until 4 p.m. on Monday. At the time, there were 19 inches of snow on the ground.

While three more inches of snow fell on Monday, a second shift of plow operators worked to clear the streets from 3 to 11 p.m. At 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, the city resumed general plowing operations, and 40 municipal vehicles and 210 private contractors worked to clear the roads.

The city said that crews who began clearing and salting the main areas are now transitioning to clearing and treating residential side streets. They are also focused on clearing snow piled up at intersections and near schools.

Worcester said crews are expected to work through the week to ensure all roads are safe.

“I’m very proud of the team that we’ve assembled,” said DPW Commissioner John Westerling. “They worked under the worst of conditions to keep our city open and safe and they will continue to work tirelessly through the week.”

The city is also reminding residents to avoid moving snow into the streets, and they are responsible for clearing and treating sidewalks to ensure they remain safe and accessible.

See Also:

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