SOMERVILLE – In accordance with the City’s Snow Emergency Procedures, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has
declared a snow emergency for the City of Somerville will go into effect at 8 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 2. During snow emergencies, parking is allowed on the odd-numbered side of the street only (unless otherwise posted). Cars not moved by 12 p.m. Thursday afternoon will be subject to ticketing and towing. Residents unable to find a parking space on the odd-numbered side of the street may park in any municipal or school parking lot for the duration of the emergency. Full snow emergency and snow removal policies may be found on the City’s website at http://www.somervillema.gov/snow.
Superintendent of Schools Tony Pierantozzi also announced that the Somerville Public Schools will be closed on Thursday and Friday this week.
Residents are encouraged to sign up for the City’s alert system to receive notification by phone, email and/or text message in the event of emergencies or with important information for your neighborhood. Residents may also sign up for alerts by calling 311 (617-666-3311 from outside the City).
Snow Emergency Policies:
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, including:
• Citywide alerts;
• City Cable TV (Channel 22 for Comcast customers, Channel 13 for RCN customers) and Educational TV (Channel 15);
• Local TV, radio and print media;
• Postings on City social media feeds, including:
o Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity; http://www.facebook.com/311Somerville
o Twitter: @SomervilleCity; @311Somerville
• City website: http://www.somervillema.gov
• Flashing blue lights activated at 22 key intersections in the City (when lights are flashing, a snow emergency is in effect).
Parking Regulations During a Snow Emergency:
Once a snow emergency is declared, vehicle owners will have four hours (unless otherwise noted) in which to move their vehicles to the odd-numbered side of the street (unless otherwise posted), or they will be ticketed and towed. Municipal and school lots will be made available at no cost to residents during snow emergencies. It is important that vehicles only be parked on one side of the street as noted above to ensure plows can make all roads accessible and safe, particularly for emergency vehicles.
Why can’t the city go back to the old system of alternate year/side snow plowing? I live on the even side and every year am subjected to this blatantly unfair system which treats half the population of the city as second class citizens. I have asked city representatives this question many, many times. The responses I get are:- (1) How can we enforce such a change? Answer:- the same way you reforge street cleaning rules. (2) we follow the results of a 1989 study which stated that there are more parking spots on the odd side of the street. Really?! Citywide? That study (which even Alderman Bob Trane told me cannot be found now) is from, yes, 1989. How is it anyway relevant in 2014?
Today, after shoveling for my third time within 24 hours, plows can along and, not only, plowed in the access to the street from the driveway but dumped all the snow back onto the sidewalk. When I called 311 to complain I was told that I have to keep shoveling out or be fined REGARDLESS of how many times the plows push the snow back.
If this system is to continue I think that the property taxes of all buildings on the even (plowed in) side of the street throughout the city should pay a lesser tax rate. How about $? off per inch of snow each winter.