Dear Pedestrians...

[larsks.livejournal.com]

I have tried to keep my sidewalk clear for your comfort and safety -- and my own! But despite my best efforts, the City of Somerville has repeatedly, in the space of an hour, refilled my sidewalk with the snowplow. I tried to complain, but the city doesn't seem terribly interested. My arms are tired, my back is tired, and I give up fighting the City. They apparently don't consider pedestrian safety to be a terribly high priority.

If you have also run into this problem, I encourage you to contact the Mayor's office at mayor@ci.somerville.ma.us as well as your local alderperson. You may also want to contact the Comissioner of the Department of Public Works, Stanley Koty, but my previous experience with DPW suggests this won't help.

Comments

[heliograph.livejournal.com]

According to the city of Somerville website, you've got six daylight hours after the storm ends to clear your sidewalk. As you've noticed, trying to clear it before that if you're on the even side (like I am) is completely hopeless.

I keep the hydrant clear, but other than that I wait until they're done plowing.

If you've got a slick surface (freezing rain, frex, or freezy slush), I put down sand for traction. But shoveling against the plow will just give you a heart attack.

For extra bonus fun, when you clear the sidewalk after this storm ends, you'll have it plowed in again when we get the next storm this weekend.

The snow's got to go somewhere. All you can really do is move to the odd side of the street. Or somewhere it doesn't snow.

[larsks.livejournal.com]

The snow's got to go somewhere.

Really? I think if the city is going to dump snow on my sidewalk, then they can damn well shovel it themselves. I'm not just being flippant here; I think the city should take care of the sidewalks, which are just as much a part of our transportation infrastructure as the streets. If they expect individual homeowners to take of the sidewalks, then they really need to investigate ways to mitigate the amount of snow dumped on them by the plows.

I don't think that clearing the streets in preference to the sidewalks makes sense. Sure, the street's clear, but this often leaves the sidewalk an icy, impassable mess.

[veda815.livejournal.com]

I think their first priority is access for emergency vehicles, which means clearing the street.

Unfortunately, this is just part of urban life in the northeast.

[aki.livejournal.com]

Suburban/RRD too. The plow undoing all my dad's work on the bottom of our driveway was a snowstorm tradition growing up in VT.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

When fire trucks, ambulances and police responding to accidents and other emergencies that tend to arise during inclement weather like this start driving on the sidewalks, then maybe the sidewalks should take priority.

Until then, it seems only fair that response vehicles have a semi-clear path to get down.

[larsks.livejournal.com]

I agree that access for emergency vehicles is important, but I'm not convinced that it is mutually exclusive with pedestrian safety. If the city were to also maintain the sidewalks in addition to the streets, I think both problems would be solved.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if you or a lot of people realize this. but this sort of maintenance requires money. Cities have limited budgets per fiscal year (FY) and project costs based on recent trends.

I'm sure, if Somerville and the surrounding cities had unlimited funds to devote to paying people, purchasing and running equipment AND purchasing the requisite sand and salt required, they would do so.

But the cost of running a city per FY includes more than just snow removal and choices and priorities must be made. The choice of allowing emergency vehicle access over pedestrian safety seems pretty apparent when weighed with the costs.

Motor vehicle accidents in weather like this are more likely to create life threatening injuries or fatalities than a pedestrian slipping and falling (as I did on a relatively cleared sidealk due to ice), getting up, dusting themselves off and pressing on. Most people who would find such walkways difficult and dangerous (elderly and disabled) are usually inside to begin with during this weather. Those of us who are walking are more likely to be a little more resilient to such mishaps...and a little more able to pick our way through, over and around snowy obstacles.

As both pedestrian and driver, I'm more concerned about the roads than the walks. And I also know well enough to know that clearing any path on my walk bigger than absolutely necessary to traverse in single file is pointless until the storm has ended due to the very reason that inspired your post to begin with.

Lessons learned from living in a snowbelt all your life.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

And snow removal is *expensive*. As much as I hate snow-covered sidewalks (and shoveling out my own) I'm not sure I want my property taxes to double just so the city can take over.

[mattdm.livejournal.com]

But mind you I'm also not sayin' they should dump snow all over the sidewalk in front of Lars' house. Especially because if it's not cleared by Sunday morning that will make it hard to get to the pancakes.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

I think that the only people who wouldn't mind seeing that are those who don't own property in the city and who, in fact, believe that everything should be done for them as it is.

Of course, that would change once rents went up again to cover the increased property tax...

But yeah. Snow removal is insanely costly. I remember a few years back when the City of Boston spent it's entire FY snow removal budget on ONE storm. Ouch.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

I think that the only people who wouldn't mind seeing that are those who don't own property in the city and who, in fact, believe that everything should be done for them as it is.

Of course, that would change once rents went up again to cover the increased property tax...

But yeah. Snow removal is insanely costly. I remember a few years back when the City of Boston spent it's entire FY snow removal budget on ONE storm. Ouch.

[wildflowersoul.livejournal.com]

Yes! Thank you.

[larsks.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure if you or a lot of people realize this. but this sort of maintenance requires money.

It's true, we're all idiots. But thanks for checking.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

Well, given the way that so many people scream and cry about such things, it's pretty easy to assume that they don't consider or realize the cost involved.

[kalliejenn2.livejournal.com]

while all this may be so, it also forces pedestrians into the street, which is quite dangerous.

[komos.livejournal.com]

What forces pedestrians onto the street? The snow? The city's lack of unlimited funds? The refusal of your neighbors to clear their sidewalks as required because the maintenance of the street might interfere with their decision to shovel in the middle of the storm?

[kalliejenn2.livejournal.com]

the fact that i don't have 2 ft. high snow boots? or maybe that despite the fact that i'm wearing yaktrax, some sidewalks in front of some houses are STILL so slippery that i keep falling down?

i understand that the city has limited funds. i'm not advocating that they start shoveling all sidewalks...just that they get a little more strict about enforcing that other people do it. there's a big difference between people who actually make the effort to shovel, but get plowed under, and those who don't even bother once (or salt, or anything).

[komos.livejournal.com]

If the end result is uncleared sidewalks and your complaint is over uncleared sidewalks, why is there any difference between the person who didn't shovel and the one who decided it was a good idea to shovel during the storm while snow removal was still in progress and there was every likelihood that the sidewalk would be buried again?

[kalliejenn2.livejournal.com]

big difference. those who shoveled early so that pedestrians coming home from work wouldn't have to trod through shitloads of snow, even though they will have to shovel again, are much different that those who, say, still haven't salted the ice that remains on their sidewalk section after the ice storm over a week ago.

[komos.livejournal.com]

So, just so long as a person, at some point during the storm made some effort to clear his sidewalk, he is forgiven from having to clear it again?

You still have an uncleared sidewalk and a budget. Resolve.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

My half assed clacyoolations yesterday at lunch said this about snow removal and budgets:
Somerville has allocatated 300K for snow removal according to their FY07 budget on the city website.

According to the MA Highway Dept.'s FY07 rental rates for snow removal equipment (used the lowest rate, btw), the cost of diesel fuel to run said equipment and a low-ball estimate of pay...

To run a skeleton crew of 4 3/4 ton pickup trucks and two small front loaders for 12 hours of clearing (1300 - 0100 or, about the time the snow started to the time it stopped), without laying salt, it would cost the city approx. 18,300. I also figured in the amount of fuel all of the equipment on my imaginary crew burned.

I will resolve the budget bt: raising property taxes (according to the FY06 budget audit, that was the primary source of Somerville's income last year) to purchase bobcats to clear the sidewalks...but they will go up by 30% with no other allocation for that money BUT snow removal of the sidewalks.

I can be mayorz nao plz? I has problem solved. Problem solved. I has.

[komos.livejournal.com]

As far as I'm concerned, you can has el Presidente if you want it. ^_^

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

Nah. I'd prefer "Dictator for Life" a la Calvin and Hobbes. If I can't have that, I'm out.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

So, what's your solution then?

There were more motor vehicle accidents and injuries yesterday than there were pedestrians having to be transported to hospital. Sorry.

[kalliejenn2.livejournal.com]

really? what are you basing this statistic on? were you sitting in the emergency room seeing who came in and tallying it up? and yes, people falling and breaking a wrist on the slippery sidewalk is probably not as spectacular an emergency as say, two cars colliding and getting minor dents, but hey, who cares, right?

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

I never said I didn't care and I was basing that off of what I saw on the roads as well as on reports from the roads all night long.

What I didn't see were masses of pedestrians struggling, falling, being run over, breaking anything - although I did fall on my ass and took that opportunity to make a snow angel - after I got home, before we got out and shoveled. And BTW, I'm almost 6 months pregnant. That makes it a little more difficult for me to move around on a normal basis than I'm accustomed to.

Why do so many people like to wait for someone else to come and do something they're capable of doing on their own?? We had plows up and down our road all night, but our pathway for pedestrians didn't get plowed under because we kept it as far from the roadway as possible and made it relatively narrow - enough to walk down single file - until snow removal on the streets would be complete when we'd get out and widen it to encompass the whole walkway. How hard is that??

The practical application of a little common sense goes a long way. Be careful walking or driving and use some sense when clearing your paths before the snow is done falling.

[eeyorecol.livejournal.com]

Random - isn't being pregnant and trying to walk in the snow and ice just a new and exciting adventure every day? The ever-changing center of gravity makes everything more interesting. This is sarcasm from someone who is 8 months pregnant now - man, yesterday was fun. My husband bought a snowblower last weekend so that I wouldn't shovel and he wouldn't throw out his back again, therefore avoiding both of us being stuck on the couch at the same time.

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

LOL! It was fun. The most I could do when I slipped and slid around and eventually fell down was to play where I fell and laugh.

It really makes things interesting when she's kicking the crap out of me from the inside while I'm trying to navigate my way around too. Yeesh!

Mine didn't want me to shovel but I did a little anyway...and he loves to do it. Weirdo. : )

[eeyorecol.livejournal.com]

I totally agree about getting the crap kicked out of me while trying not to fall as well.

I shoveled our stairs, then I gave up, since I knew that he would get the rest with the snowblower. It's his new toy, so I didn't bother to ask to use it. :-)

Also, if I managed to hurt myself, he would tell everyone at my shower on Sunday (when I will also have to navigate in the snow, but while wearing nice clothes! w00t!) and they would all make fun of me/chastise me (my mom is very good at telling me to sit down).

[bombardiette.livejournal.com]

I think the almost 5 hour drive home from work in Lexington/Bedford was made even more fun by her gymnastics as well. She always picks the best times to be the most active!

Ooh, yes. Don't interfere with boys and their new toys. I talked about the possibility of a snow blower, but he really, really enjoys shoveling. For now. He's from CA and hasn't really lived anywhere that it actually snows. He'll learn...

Yeah, he yelled at me too. It seems that the menfolk in my life are more protective of me than anyone. I work part-time down at the VFW on Summer St and one of my regulars yelled at me a few weeks ago...for picking up an EMPTY case. [rolleyes]

It's going to be snowing again Sunday. Good luck getting to the shower - and enjoy! Hope you get lots of wonderful and USEFUL things. : D

[komos.livejournal.com]

And what is your evidence that pedestrians in Somerville were injured in any way because of uncleared sidewalks in yesterday's storm?

[komos.livejournal.com]

The sound you're hearing is my head repeatedly hitting the desk.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

It sounds like the problem is the parking ban on the even side of the street, which leads to plows throwing snow onto the sidewalk on that side.

I don't see why Somerville has to ban parking on one side of every single street. Cambridge used to have snow parking ban signs on one side of every street that had parking on both sides. A few years ago they eliminated the restrictions on all non-major streets, and things have gone just fine.

[ron_newman]

Right now, I'd just like the city to concentrate on plowing sidewalks adjoining to its own property, which it has legal responsibility for. Example: Day and Herbert streets next to the metered municipal parking lot.

[skate97.livejournal.com]

Ugh, tell me about it. I work on Day Street.

[ron_newman]

I'm happy to report that some time before 11 pm tonight, they cleared that sidewalk.

[skate97.livejournal.com]

LOL. Excellent. I felt like I was trapped behind a wall any time I went out today.

[closetalker11.livejournal.com]

Also: next to the ball field on Simpson/Holland.

[maelithil.livejournal.com]

God, yes. The metered lot was ridiculous this morning.

[sekala.livejournal.com]

Clearing a city of snow takes many many steps, none of which, except for clearing for emergency vehicles, can take place until after the snow has stopped and all of the cars have been moved out of the way. In many cities it can take over a week to get rid of the snow from the streets and the walks, but it does happen, just in steps. You have to have a place to move all of those cars etc. so that the street plows can not only remove the snow from the streets, but also get the snow from the sidewalks onto the streets again so that it can be put somewhere else whether that be mountains of snow, or merely plowed, trucked, etc. into the river. But again, none of that can happen until after the snow emergency(of which we have two this weekend, so tough luck for now) has been lifted. Until then, don't break your back trying to keep it all clear. Clear a small single file line furthest from the street side of the sidewalk. Clearing the whole thing only allows the snow to keep falling on the sidewalk rather than letting a natural drift occur. If you continuously shovel your whole sidewalk while all this stuff is still everywhere, you're just going to risk your health and make your neighbors think you have OCD.

[ceo]

Having grown up in a town where they did plow the sidewalks (Lexington), I can tell you that it does not make the sidewalk conditions noticeably better.

[aki.livejournal.com]

*nod* Which is why I like Somerville so much better than Cambridge - sidewalk plows! I never could understand why Cambridge didn't have them...

[thetathx1138.livejournal.com]

Hey, I grew up in New England, if the walk looks shoveled and the snowplow obviously dumped snow on it, you're not the one I'm going to complain to!

[derekp.livejournal.com]

The condo-mate (is that an acceptable term?) and I were high fiving each other last night when we realized we had inadvertently selected a house on the odd side of the street.

I feel your pain, but I don't want the city spending funds on cleaning everyone's sidewalk. At least I don't think I do... I haven't actually looked at the budget or anything...

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

In the year 2000, Google satellites will clear our sidewalks with high-powered laser beams.

[mattlistener.livejournal.com]

This comment wins the thread!