Somerville Snow Emergency #5 - move cars by 2 am tonight

[ron_newman]

From the ResiStat mailing list:

Wow. This snow really seems to be unrelenting. Here is an explanation of the some of the efforts the City is going through to prepare for the next few days.

In accordance with the City's Snow Emergency Procedures, Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone has announced that a snow emergency will be in effect for the City of Somerville as of 10:00 p.m. on Monday, January 31st. During snow emergencies, parking is allowed on the odd-numbered side of the street only (unless otherwise posted).

Cars not moved by 2:00 a.m. on Tuesday will be ticketed and towed. Residents unable to find a parking space on the odd-numbered side of the street may park in any municipal or school lot for the duration of the emergency. A list of available city lots and other relevant information may be found on the City's website at http://www.somervillema.gov/spotlight.cfm?id=90

Also, the city is closing some streets tonight for snow removal. I e-mailed Daniel Hadley at ResiStat and he sent me this list:


Squares

Union Square

Teele Square


Streets

Emerson

Everett St.

Newton St.

Richardson St.

Fiske Ave

Hinckley St.

Winton St.

Nashua St.

Henderson St.

Meacham Rd.

Orchard St.

Campbell Park

Kingston

Thorndike St.

Comments

[djethan.livejournal.com]

As a resident of Union Square, I find this a bit confusing (albeit less confusing than the robocall I got).

Does "Union Square" include the immediate side-streets such as Stone Ave? (It's not on the list above, but neither are any of the main streets)

And with the snow emergency being declared at 10pm, are the municipal lots IN Union Square now off limits? Will they tow due to the snow removal from 12am-7am?

Oy.

[ron_newman]

I don't know -- try calling 311 or e-mailing DHadley@somervillema.gov and CCampbell@somervillema.gov, and post whatever response you get here. I think the city posts temporary signs on streets where they are doing this.

[jamiesquared.livejournal.com]

Thats def. not a full list of the streets. Up here in Teele Sq there are streets blocked off with those folding construction signs saying emergency snow removal tonight.

[ron_newman]

Michael Meehan from the city sent me this to post here:

I’m having trouble tracking down my LiveJournal username/password, but the gameplan for parking in Union or Teele Squares tonight is as follows:

1) If you are one of the 15 side streets designated for extra snow clearing, there will be no parking on either side of the street from midnight-7 a.m.
2) There will be no parking in the central areas of those squares and those spots will be marked by no parking signs.
3) All other spots should follow normal snow emergency procedures.

[mjrocks98.livejournal.com]

Ya, the signs on my street (Richardson) say closed through Feb. 4th for snow removal. My robo-call just said midnight to 7am, but I guess I'll follow the signs.

My robo call also only said, "Your street will be closed..." which then I had to call & find out what other streets would be open to park on. Couldn't get through on first 4 calls, call 5 I was on hold for 12 minutes, got disconnected. Finally on call 6 I got through to a very over worked woman, I felt bad asking her questions, but had no idea where to park.

I'm happy about the snow removal, I just wish if my street is really going to be closed for 4 days I had more heads up to make plans to leave my car at a friend's house, or the parking garage at my work.

[masswich.livejournal.com]

For those of you with kids in Somerville schools, this almost certainly means no school tomorrow too. And I'd guess Wednesday as well if I were a betting man.

[jbsegal.livejournal.com]

There NEEDS to be a mechanism for closing the ODD sides of the street. On Willow, at least, the even side isn't _perfect_, but it's ok.
If they turned on the Street Cleaning rules to open the even and close the odd side and then did snow removal from the GIGANTIC PILES on the odd side, things would be MUCH better.

[mcary219.livejournal.com]

ok i love these snow days but this is getting rediculous!

[ron_newman]

Closing the street until February 4, or just no parking until then?

[avjudge]

I was wondering about this - I can't see how they can have school if the parking lots are turned over to residents, but then why don't they just announce "no school" when (or soon after) they declare the snow emergency? It's been hours since the snow emergency was declared and no official word on the schools.

It would be nice to know before bedtime, and not have to set the alarm etc.

[m-b-w.livejournal.com]

I agree that there's a good chance of no school but, so far, the superintendent is not giving up on school tomorrow. This was posted on the SPS FB page (http://www.facebook.com/#!/SomervillePublicSchools):

"As of now, school will be in session tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb 1, 2010. If there is a snow emergency tomorrow..., staff parking and student drop off will be an issue.

In order to reduce congestion, staff can park in any school yard and parking lot. SPD will provide officers at the schools.

Reminder, during a snow emergency cars may be parked only on the odd side of the streets and must be a minimum of 20 ft. from a corner and 10 ft. from a fire hydrant. Snow emergency information for the City of Somerville can be found at http://www.somervillema.gov/Section.cfm?org=admin&page=134

Please be cautious on the way to school tomorrow.

Any change will be communicated by CONNECT ED call; be posted on our website; be communicated by K12 email, and will be broadcast on local access TV and Boston media outlets –TV and Radio.

Thank you.

Tony Pierantozzi, Superintendent of Schools"

[mjrocks98.livejournal.com]

it's very unclear whether it's no parking or closing to all traffic at midnight through Feb. 4th, guess I'll find out for sure in the morning. They put tow signs up on both sides (our street only has one side parking anyway). They didn't put signs in every snow pile but when I called I asked if it was the whole street or just a section & they said whole street.

There's a lot of people who still haven't moved & I noticed those still parked out there don't have tow signs near their cars. I would think common sense would tell you to move just in case, but maybe not. I'm hoping the signs only say Feb 4th in case they can't get it all done tonight, but I fear with another storm coming in it's really going to be a no parking situation for days over here. At least the snow will be trucked away soon - hallelujah!

[masswich.livejournal.com]

Boy do I hope this is the exception! Thanks for pointing that out.

Muni lots in Union Sq seem to be open

[djethan.livejournal.com]

Subject says it all - there are snow removal no parking signs all over Union Square, but none in the parking lot by SCAT. So it appears parking there during the snow emergency is ok.

Updates to follow tomorrow morning if my car gets towed.

[rethcir.livejournal.com]

I agree, I haven't really found myself in this situation before, so I would appreciate some input - I was unable to find parking before the emergency went into effect (10) so I parked in a school lot (one that is usually closed to all parking). I'm going to bed now. I assume it's safe for my car to stay there for the duration of the snow emergency (or at least 48 hours), right? Has anyone had issues with this before?

[ron_newman]

The rule is that your car can stay in the school lot until 2 hours after the snow emergency ends.

[pierceheart.livejournal.com]

This.

Re: Muni lots in Union Sq seem to be open

[ron_newman]

It's now 10 am -- is your car still there?

[insignia11.livejournal.com]

Those damn snow removal trucks woke me up and kept me up all night with their beeping and clanging. I live right on Broadway so I had to hear it for hours in the middle of the night. How aggravating.

Re: Muni lots in Union Sq seem to be open

[djethan.livejournal.com]

All of the cars, including mine, are still there. So the lots were exempt from any snow clearing activity it seems.

I don't see where any snow was cleared in Union Square, but that may be because all the new snow is covering everything...

[clevernonsense.livejournal.com]

I agree but could you imagine the confusion any system would cause? People panic when facebook gets a new layout.

[boblothrope.livejournal.com]

I find the beeping much worse than the actual noise of engines and moving the snow. The city should consider turning off the beepers, especially in the middle of the night.

[ron_newman]

Please call 311 and make this suggestion. Ideally, cars and trucks should be programmed to disable the beeping between 9 pm and 9 am.