For Immediate Release: 1/28/2015 3:05 pm
Worcester, MA (January 28, 2015) - The cleanup from this week's record-breaking blizzard continues on Wednesday and is likely to continue through this weekend. At the same time, City officials are monitoring more potential snow in the forecast and urging residents to be ready.
Department of Public Works plows are continuing to work to push back snow and widen streets. This work will continue Wednesday and Thursday. At around midday, salt trucks began treating the City's main routes in an effort to get them down to the pavement.
City Manager Ed Augustus urged the public to be patient, as crews work to widen streets.
"This was a record-breaking event that dropped nearly three feet of snow in our laps," Augustus said. "That amount of snow will take time to clean up."
As of Wednesday afternoon, the Department of Public Works had used 1,000 tons of salt and 200 tons of sand treating Worcester's roads during this storm. The DPW Customer Service line, which has been open 24 hours a day during the storm, has fielded 1,556 calls from residents.
There is not yet an estimate for total storm cleanup cost. However, the City is already tracking expenses and looking into the possibility of FEMA reimbursement for some of the costs, given the historic nature of the storm. The offices of Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Rep. James McGovern, Gov. Charlie Baker and Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito have offered their support in those efforts.
For now, the focus is on widening Worcester's streets. The DPW expects this weekend to begin removing and hauling away snow to the Worcester Regional Airport.
Department of Public Works and Parks employees will be out clearing sidewalks at city-owned properties - including parks, bridges and municipally-owned buildings. The offices of Worcester County Sheriff Lewis G. Evangelidis and Worcester County District Attorney Joseph D. Early Jr. have offer the City work crews to help clear city-owned sidewalks and parks. Augustus thanked both offices for their help. This work is expected to go on for the next several days.
The public is reminded of the City's sidewalk ordinance, which requires property owners or residents to shovel a clear path on all sidewalks and corners adjacent to their property. The City plans to be understanding in its enforcement of that ordinance, given the amount of snow, but expects residents to do their part to make sidewalks passable for their neighbors and children when they return to school. Enforcement is expected to start Thursday.
The Worcester Public Schools will again be closed on Thursday.
The parking ban is still in place and may continue through the next round of storms, depending on the forecast.
The City is also monitoring more potential snow in the forecast for Thursday evening and early next week. Residents should consider clearing snow from their roofs in anticipation that the new snow may be heavy and has the potential to cause collapses. Inspectional Services has a list of properties they are monitoring, including some recently fire-damaged properties.
Augustus praised the public for staying home and off the roads during the worst of the snow, observing the winter parking ban, helping out by shoveling out nearby fire hydrants. He urged the community to continue that spirit as the cleanup continues.
"This storm has been a great example of City government and the community working together under difficult circumstances," Augustus said. "We have to continue that cooperation as we enter the cleanup phase of the storm."
Attached, please find a list of winter storm safety reminders, including important information about carbon monoxide poisoning.
public-safety-reminders.pdf
