A neighbor just posted this photo on Facebook, of the National Guard driving down Elliot St in Upper Falls, on their way to Waban to help with snow removal.
Crazy Divers: Men be like...
drivers man be like
A neighbor just posted this photo on Facebook, of the National Guard driving down Elliot St in Upper Falls, on their way to Waban to help with snow removal.
Crazy Divers: Men be like...
drivers man be like
Is that a humvee?
I haven’t seen the National Guard in my neighborhood, but my side street seems to have been widened, without messing up the shoveled opening at the corner. It’s not such a challenge to back out of the driveway.
I saw a full caravan of trucks, perhaps a dozen lined up on Eliot Street near the DPW yard at 10 a.m. this morning.
Haven’t seen any on this side of the City. No National Guard and no City trucks doing any work in this area. Watertown Street in Nonantum is barely wide enough for two cars, several of the side streets off Watertown St are only passable by one car width. But gee, the Lincoln Eliot School is wide open for kids that wont be there for 7 more days! I just don’t understand the priorities.
They were working near the Williams School today. Totally forgot the fact that TheWholeTruth just posted….the kids won’t be back to school for another week so why make the schools the priority? Hmmm.
TWT and NN, I am going to go out on a limb and say that if the city waits over a week to clear the sidewalks and schools, the snow piles will be solid blocks of ice and the sidewalks will be skating rinks.
@THM,
I’m going to ignore the snarky response you gave and move on. As a resident of this City, I am having a really hard time understanding why we can’t get streets plowed wide open, especially in major traffic areas such as the village squares. I can not comprehend why an entire travel lane is lost to snow on Washington St in Newtonville (Between Walnut St and Lowell Ave) WEEKS after the first storm. Where are the snow removal trucks? Trying to navigate Watertown Street in Nonantum is hair raising as the street is barely wide enough for cars to pass. In some cases, you have to go one at a time if cars are parked. Again, where are the snow removal trucks? Many side streets in the City are only passable by one car width. The contracted plow that does my street goes up and down opening up just the width of his little truck. And I do mean little, it’s a tow truck with a plow blade. So because this is all he does every storm, our street is a single lane road now.The huge trucks that were being used to clean up the school could have spent 15 minutes on this street with a couple of passes and the road would have been nice and wide. I fear that emergency vehicles won’t be able to navigate my street and the many others in the City that are just like it. I think that the schools could have waited a day or two while these pieces of equipment could have been used on the streets. So yeah, I seriously question the priorities. No snarkiness intended.
TWT, no snarkiness was intended nor should be inferred. I just was not able to talk to anybody in the know over the weekend, and the automated 311 response merely says it will take 3 to 7 days to clear existing snow.
TWT-I’d like to shed some light on the school parking lot situation, though I’m afraid it won’t make much difference. There’s nowhere to put the snow at many schools, so it’s been necessary to put it on parking spaces in the lots. With seven and a half feet of snow in 3 weeks, we’ve lost a number of parking spaces and some staff and all the parents have had to park on the street. As you point out, that’s no longer a possibility. After 4 major storms in such a short period of time, clearing the school parking lots is a far bigger job than is usually the case and most likely will take significantly more time.
We simply have to get the kids back to school, and to take a chance on not having the school parking lots ready was, well, really taking a chance. For the first time this month, we had some good luck, given that the latest major storm hit at the very beginning of the school vacation week. But today’s precipitation appeared to be much dicier to predict than the previous larger storms and was, in fact, an ice storm in the mid-Atlantic states that’s caused major power outages. If the report had been a little off and this had been an ice storm here, the entire Metro-Boston area would have been in deep trouble. There’s more precipitation predicted for Sunday – snow, sleet, ice? Who knows. Right now, a number of reports say sleet. Really not good news.
It would be interesting to hear about the age and condition of our present snow removal equipment. How many times do we have to learn that deferred maintenance and updating equipment ends up costing more in the end? I also wonder how residents will react when streets are widened, only to find out that the snow had to be plowed onto the sidewalk they shoveled. Where else is it going? What a mess. On a more positive note, motorists have been most considerate of one another and have been driving very cautiously.
Here’s an idea:
http://www.transitmatters.info/blog/2015/2/16/bostons-transit-crisis-demands-urgent-action
Nathan – much of that sounds really good. The one thing I’d currently want to avoid is a complete ban on cars with fewer than 3 occupants – there should be an exemption for people with medical needs. This is especially important because the major hospitals are concentrated in a couple of places (Longwood Medical Area, especially) where mass transit isn’t currently working and people have to get to them on a non-9-5 schedule.
What I dont understand is if you drive down a street like Parmentar Rd in West Newton which – part of this street is in Waltham and part in Newton – as soon as you hit the Waltham end the streets is wider- snow has been removed etc. I just drove down there an hour ago.
Why can Waltham get it right and we cant?
Living on Fuller St ( waban /west newton ) and dutifully shoveling my sidewalk on pretty regular basis these days, I am out to see the numerous passes of the plows going up and down my street pushing little to NO snow. I suppose it saves the plowing contractors money on fuel and they are getting their time in, but it doesnt go very far in widening my street ???.
@Joanne, good question. I thought the same thing as I drove down Parmenter today also.
@Jane, I don’t disagree that we have to get the kids back in school. But nobody can go anywhere unless the streets are plowed. The Lincoln Eliot school is less than a football field distance away from my home. The intersections at Capital and Washburn St are only passable for 1 car. No school bus, fire truck, garbage truck or anything larger than a standard car can negotiate this intersection. It’s not just the narrowness of the street, it’s also the GIANT snowbanks at the corners that are making it downright dangerous to try and navigate. So if you ask me, this is just as critical as clearing the parking lot of the school. Yet, here we are, two days later and still NOT ONE OUNCE of snow has been removed from the area.
There are sections of this entire City that are just as bad as this. Some are around schools and some are just wherever. There is no disputing that there are some neighborhoods in the City that are more congested than others. The streets in Newton Upper Falls and the many tiny streets off Watertown St in Nonantum are just some of them. Yet, nothing has been done in these areas, at least not in Nonantum. I drove down Moody Street in Waltham today and it was clear that snowbanks all along the street have been knocked back and cleaned up. There were rows of trucks just lined up waiting to be filled up with snow. In fact, Waltham enacted a snow emergency to keep cars off the streets so that this work can be done. I have a friend who lives in Medford. He told me today you can’t turn a corner in Medford or Somerville without running into groups of National Guardsmen knocking back banks and removing snow. And they have been there for days. We had 4 crews of National Guardsmen in Newton yesterday. I have no idea what they did but I’m sure that whatever it was, it was needed. The problem is that it is not enough. We need more help. The schools did not need to be done on Sunday. They could have waited a day. It’s not all about school safety, it about the safety of everyone.
And now that the schools are done, I ask again….where are the plows and removal trucks today? Right now?
Now that the Hall is open for business, maybe @THM can get some answers….
I had commented on an earlier thread that the width open on our street between snow berms has been less than the length of our vehicle since storm before last. Backing out has required 7-point turns, rubbing bumpers against berms. Other neighbors had similar frustrations. Each day when street parking has been allowed made it worse.
We dug out a bit more, but would have to attack it from the street side to make enough space to get out cleanly.
I called the city number today, and widening our street in Newtonville has been put on the work list for tomorrow.
Sounds good to me. I’ll report back in.
I called the city today, an
I agree that the whole situation is a pain and if ’78 and ’96 are any indication, the snowbanks will continue to be a problem for weeks. Let’s face it, if the Governor had sent a large contingent of the National Guardsmen and equipment to Newton instead of Waltham, Somerville, or Medford, there’d have been a huge backlash across the state. Like it or not, the expectation in other communities is that Newton has the financial resources to take care of our municipal needs. What they don’t realize is that we’re not into infrastructure and haven’t been for decades. It’s just so – oh, I don’t know what the word is – but we have more interesting things to think about ;).
Also, if our 22 schools aren’t accessible by next Monday, there’ll be a huge outcry right here in Newton, and getting the schools ready for next Monday remains a huge challenge. While it’s difficult for me to get out onto Beacon St., I’m much more concerned about the elementary schools and the preschool being ready for next week. Young children should not be walking to school in these conditions on their own, and that’s going to present a problem starting next Monday AM.
The berm on my street is about two feet wide and I suspect that’s pretty typical, so I continue to wonder where folks think the plowed snow is going to go, because I don’t see any option other than putting it on the sidewalks.
@Jane, just to be clear, the trucks I saw lined up in Waltham were not National Guard trucks. They were contractors working for the City. So is there backlash for the people in Ipswich or Weston or several other “affluent” places that received help? We could chew this to death and we will never agree on the priority. But when I get in an accident because the snowbank was too big to see over/around, or when I need an ambulance that can’t get to me because it’s trapped on my clogged street, I will say it’s okay because after all, teachers were able to park at their school lot today…even though there was no school. And yes, that’s snarky! 😉
I picked up my husband at the Green Line in Newton Centre this evening after the commuter rail service was cancelled. Wow, that part of town looks great. Wide, dry streets, low snow piles, walkable sidewalks. Nice.
Big difference from Newtonville and Nonantum, where I also drove today. Snow- and slush-covered streets, one lane wide at best, sidewalks blocked in places and pedestrians sharing the road with cars, high snow berms. I also notices that the sidewalk/usual walkway (unsure if it is paved) by Whole Foods on Crafts Street is not cleared at all.
What’s the deal, y’all? Are they clearing villages in revers alphabetical order? Some other plan at work?
Carry – “Reverse alphabetical order”? That sounds good to me, said the Upper Falls guy. Unfortunately for me, it doesn’t look that way.
I’ll pitch in- Newton Corner is still a mess, at least in the Charlesbank area. Centre St is ok outside from the snowbanks that mean turning is a life-threatening experience, but the side streets are barely passable – for one car. We’re making do and know this winter is a bit more severe than most, but we have gotten spoiled in our neighborhood with pretty thorough street cleaning the last several years.
@Jerry: Who said that Humvee pictured was on its way to Waban? I never saw it here! Our streets are snow clogged, one lane (barely) wide and turns onto Chestnut or Quinobequin from the side streets are “close your eyes and go” because you cannot see around K-2, Everest or Denali to avoid oncoming traffic. Reverse alphabetical order doesn’t ‘splain it either, Lucy!
The Humvees have not gotten to West Newton either, Jerry.
If business sidewalks (like WF in Newtonville) aren’t cleared, do call 311 (or 617-796-1000 from your cell). The police are issuing tickets ($25/day for uncleared sidewalks in business districts, up to $300/day for non-city plows dumping snow on a sidewalk).
The City also needs the data to know where clearing sidewalks is a priority in future. If you don’t call, they won’t know there’s a demand.
And here we are, another day gone by and still I have not seen ONE City vehicle doing any work in Nonantum. In fact, in my travels today, I did not see ONE City vehicle anywhere doing any snow removal work.
So I can only ask why?
@THM, can you PLEASE shed some light on this?
TWT – The snow removal being done at the schools this week isn’t being done for teachers, today or any other day. The city needs to provide for a safe arrival and departure of students once Monday morning rolls around. It will take days to accomplish that, and there’s definitely no snark in that statement. 😉
I was whining the other day about a broken snow blower and having to shovel what’s now 7 and a half feet of snow, an activity that’s not recommended for people my age. After one shoveling session, I came back into the house and got onto my email to find that someone had sent me a link the an article from the WBUR website, titled “A Blizzard of Perspective”. It’s in the Cogniscenti section, but here’s the link: http://cognoscenti.wbur.org/2015/02/05/the-mom-the-baby-and-the-bus-stop-barbara-howard. Unfortunately, I forget how to make a link, but it helped my put my situation in its proper perspective.
TWT, there was some discussion in Public Facilities and Finance last night about snow removal operations and the chairman of PF promised there would be more discussions. I am not a member of either committee and was not able to be present, but the BOA did subsequently approve over $3 million for snow removal so far this year, and the total for the year according to the TAB is already $6 million. The article in today’s TAB mentions only that the schools are a priority. At a meeting last week to approve money for sidewalk plows, the commissioner of the DPW also said the priorities were schools, public transportation, sidewalks on city property, and widening roads that were narrowed by snow. The Fire Department has asked residents to help clear fire hydrants, and as reported the National Guard has been called in to remove snow piles and help dig out hydrants. The general explanation I have received from DPW is that the crews are doing their best to remove snow all over the city and that it will take time because of the unprecedented amount of snow that has fallen over the past few weeks. And, of course, it is going to snow again this weekend.
You now know everything I know. If you have a specific complaint, I strongly encourage you to contact the city by calling 311 or logging it on the city 311 webpage.
I think when they were cleaning out schools they forgot to clean Watertown Street in front of Horace Mann. Wonder when they will get to that – just drove by today and it is a mess. Thought Schools were the priority?
That’s my point, Joanne. The priority is getting the schools ready for Monday, and it’s going to take the entire week to get all 22 schools up and running. Thank you for sharing that information.
Funny thing – I grew up in a family of snow plowers – It really shouldn’t take this long if was being done correctly. The issue is that the more hours the private contractors take the more money the city has to pay them. And yes – we did get alot of snow – I get it – but this is now ridiculous. If they were doing it correctly or had someone supervising them to make sure it gets done correctly then it would have already been cleaned. Try driving down Lowell street from Commonwealth Avenue – 2 cars can barely fit. Tiger Drive and the Theater Entrance at NNHS is a disaster. Horace Mann is not clean at all. So what is clean except for Newton Center?
I think the biggest concern at this point (after clearing hydrants) should be clearing storm drains. It’s supposed to be warm and rainy on Sunday, which will be a disaster if the water has no place to go.
Joanne – To say that the people who are working days and nights on end out in the freezing cold are trying to soak the city is just reprehensible. I have a few years on you, and I’ve never seen this amount of snow in New England. That includes, ’56, ’78, and ’96. The plower who does our street spoke to my husband and told him about raising 4 kids alone after his wife died and how his kids are upset and lonely at being left alone for days on end. He’s hardly trying to to make a buck off the city – the truth is, after the last month, he just wants to go home and be with his family.
If you’re working inside, then feel fortunate. And why on earth are you bothering to drive down Tiger Drive? Tell your kids to walk the last few blocks.
mgwa – I totally agree. It’s time to start worrying about flooding and water logged roofs.
Newton Center isn’t all cleared. Willow Steet from Beacon to Center is barely passable. On Center Street there are only 2 lanes at its intersection with Homer (no left turn lane) so it takes forever to get through. Then Homer to Walnut is terrible.
Lowell from Commonwealth to Austin Street is dangerously narrow with many places only one car can pass. Auburn Street too. Watertown Street the whole length is barely passable. In fact West Newton and Nonantum are just neglected.
Even Commonwealth and Route 9 are really bad in spots. And so many corners are blind.
Hammond Pond Parkway has been cleared if you can get to it.
Some of these are major throughways and I have stayed off side streets so I can only imagine having to travel on those.
Needham and Waltham seem in much better shape. I’m really not understanding why there seems to be very little major progress.
The side streets are a dangerous, embarrassing mess. I live on the carriage lane of Comm Ave. Yes, it is one way but it is barely wide enough for one car. Add the runners and dog walkers who haven’t let the weather get in their way and it is impassable. Note to the runners and walkers who glare at me when I am inching down the road: some of us LIVE on your track and have no other way to get out of their homes but to disturb your walk / run. I am happy to slowly and patiently wait for you to get to the next driveway and give you an chance to move in and let me pass safely. But yikes….most of you won’t give even that much! And to the fools who let their dogs run off leash even in this weather: drivers cannot see through the snowbanks at the cut throughs! Your behavior is treacherous to the dogs and the drivers alike (not to mention illegal but that’s a rant for another day).
And I would love to shovel out the drain in front of my house. But there is now 6 or 7 feet of snow above the drain. And, because the street was so badly plowed, I figure I will have to shovel about 6 – 8 feet in to even get to the drain. Seriously??? I am not physically capable of this! And where would I put the snow that I am shoveling. If the street had been plowed to even anywhere CLOSE to its actual width, it would not be quite as daunting a task.
Look, I have lived here my whole life. Yes, this is the worst snow I have ever seen. But it is also far and away the worst job of snow clearing that I have seen. During a storm, I hear the plows scraping down to the pavement all night long. Why do they keep going over and over down the middle of the street?? Use some of those passes to widen the street!
Rant is over. Nothing will change. Good luck to us all on Sunday.
Thank You Native Newtonian
And you are so right – they did not clean the streets well and whoever is supposed to be supervising them is not doing their job. And we will need more than Good Luck on Sunday.
Marti said: “Needham and Waltham seem in much better shape.” I also noticed that Needham looked better than Newton (I haven’t had reason yet to go to Waltham, so I can’t comment on that). The streets in Needham have been cleared in a wider swath than many of our main streets. Parking is possible on those streets. How many street-miles are there in Needham vs. Newton and what is their budget compared to ours? What about Wellesley and Waltham? We should be comparing efficiencies town-to-town and asking what the better snow-cleared towns/cities are doing!
I was just on West Newton hill and s number of the roads that lead to the Peirce School are one car width (particularly Berkeley Street, Exeter Street). Parents driving to Peirce School on Monday are gonna have problems. I’ve been in Nonantum more and agree that there still needs quite a bit of work.
I’ve been a good doobie (sp?) and have kept my nearest hydrant clear. But the nearest drain is absolutely buried. Good luck, everyone. Try to keep a positive attitude. I bought some Old Rasputin imperial stout to try to help my attitude!
@THM, thanks for the response. I guess I just want the streets to be safe for everyone, including kids getting safely to school. At this point, it seems like I just need to lower the standards I expect from this City and accept that plowing just isn’t what it used to be. Like all of you, I too have done my share of cleaning up around my street, shoveling the hydrants, and thanking my excellent neighbor who just loves his snowblower enough to clean every sidewalk along the street. I dont mind pitching in and helping where I can. And yes, I realize that this is the most snow we have ever seen. But this is New England and we are supposed to be hearty people!
TWT-But we still maintain the right to get cranky! Did you see Marty Walsh telling people not to jump out of their windows into the snow? Can you imagine being Charlie Baker, who thought he was going to be holding high level meetings discussing the fiduciary condition of the state, and in his first month in office is talking about snow removal day after day? We’re all going a bit stir crazy but at the end of the day everyone’s doing their best with 30 year old equipment that’s functioning about as well as any 30 year old car, snow blower, oven, refrigerator, etc.
As for the people who are pointing out schools aren’t yet plowed out – that’s been my point all along! Getting 22 schools ready to open by Monday morning after 4 major snow storms in 3 weeks is a massive project.
@Jane, I get it, you’re a school fan. Schools win. Streets lose. You win!
Just gonna say for the last time….it’s now 5 days after the storm and there has been NO CLEANUP in the Nonantum area. I lose. On to the next storm.
I’ve just returned from Cosco and I’m happy to report that both routes I took were better. Auburn Street is fine if no cars are parked there, which there weren’t, but will be. Washington seems to be wider, at least it was easy to get through and only narrowed some in West Newton. Auburn Street in Auburndale Center needs to be widened because cars park almost all the way down it.
I love the snow steps on Central under the street sign at the Central and Grove Street intersection.