Image via Alex Weaver

In what he hopes will be his final press conference related to snow this year, Mayor Marty Walsh announced that Boston’s parking ban will be lifted at 5 p.m. on Wednesday evening. The MBTA will also be resuming service on a limited basis and Boston Public Schools will reopen Wednesday.

Jokingly, the mayor said that next time he hosts a press conference he hopes it’s when the Red Sox win the world series.

The primary topics covered by the mayor were the parking ban, Boston Public Schools make-up days, the snow budget and snow removal operations.

Because parking garages are close to full due to the ban, the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center in South Boston will offer free parking and shuttles to the TD Garden for Tuesday night’s Bruins game.

He mentioned that he’s entertained positive discussions with the Boston Teachers Union to explore options on how not to lose any ground with the students, including holding school on Evacuation Day and Bunker Hill Day – two holidays observed locally.

For the snow budget, the mayor bluntly stated that the city has far surpassed the $18.5 million snow budget for FY 2015 (based on a five year average) reaching close to $30 million. The City of Boston is in the process of applying for a federal reimbursement courtesy of FEMA, though that number will likely be just south of $10 million.

Snow removal operations will continue plowing ahead. Snow farms occupancy rates are increasing which means the rate of snow melting is finally surpassing that of accumulations.

At the time Mayor Walsh spoke, he said the Department of Public Works was melting snow at a rate of 430-tons per hour, allowing for increased capacity over the next four or five days.

Boston is looking at more snow this weekend, not as heavy as what we’ve seen over nearly three weeks but, Mayor Walsh said, “I’ll welcome a 6-inch storm at this point.”

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