Move vehicles to even side by midnight Friday to avoid ticketing and towing
IMPORTANT: Parking is no longer allowed in school lots during snow emergencies; other municipal lots are still available for parking

School, Recreation, and Public Library activities canceled Saturday. Libraries and ice rinks closed Saturday.

SOMERVILLE – Based on current weather forecasts, the City is declaring a snow emergency to go into effect at 8 p.m. on Friday. Beginning at 8 p.m., cars will have 4 hours to move to the EVEN side of the street (unless signage on your streets says otherwise). Because two storms are predicted for this weekend, this snow emergency may be in effect longer than usual to give crews time to clear snow from the first storm before more falls.

PLEASE NOTE: School parking lots are no longer available for parking during snow emergencies and gates will be locked at midnight Friday. To avoid having your vehicle locked in the lot, ticketed, and towed, be sure to vacate all school lots before midnight. Other municipal parking lots will remain available for snow emergency parking. For a full list of available City-owned parking lots, visit http://www.somervillema.gov/snow.

Again, as a reminder, this winter season cars must park on the EVEN SIDE of the street (unless otherwise posted). Ticketing and towing will begin at approximately midnight for cars that are not moved to the correct side of the street. Please review posted signage on your street in advance.

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.

There will be no school, recreation, pool, or skating rink activities on Saturday and libraries will be closed. For Sunday openings and activities, check somervillema.gov or call 311.

For more information, please visit http://www.somervillema.gov/snow or contact 311.

GENERAL SNOW EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Sidewalk Shoveling:
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.

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.

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 or chosman@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 http://www.somervillema.gov/alerts or by calling 311 (617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city).

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 http://www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity, http://www.facebook.com/311Somerville, Twitter @SomervilleCity and @311Somerville, the City website http://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).