Mayor Marty Walsh addressed the Boston public for the umpteenth time related to the city’s snow removal operations and the latest weather forecast updates. His message this time around: stay calm and remain cautious.
The weariness of dealing with a string of unpredictable and seemingly endless blizzards was clear in Mayor Walsh’s voice as he empathized with Bostonians frustrated from the nearly seven feet of snow this season and urged them to stay in their homes.
“It’s important for you to say in your home,” said Mayor Walsh. citing public safety for people to exercise alertness.
He said we’ve received upwards of a foot of snow already with plenty more to come and therefore the snow emergency and parking ban will remain in effect until further notice. All are reminded, as well, that MBTA service is suspended.
Snow drifts, dangerously low temperatures and more snow looming over Tuesday are the major concerns at this time, as are homeless, elderly and people snowed in. For anyone that needs assistance, the mayor’s hotline is 617-635-4500.
With President’s Day tomorrow, Mayor Walsh reiterated that after speaking with Gov. Charlie Baker most of the city and state at-large will be closed. This will allow public works crews to maintain a steady pace of snow clearing and removal operations.
In Boston, 600 pieces of snow equipment are currently clearing main arteries and secondary roadways.
In South Boston, were roads made narrow by mountainous snow banks were turned to one-way only, residents have been cooperative and compliant, and the city’s received plenty of positive feedback.
“It’s the one part of the city that we could do that because the streets are numbered,” added Mayor Walsh. “We’re looking at other neighborhoods now” though it poses a problem that “they’re not shaped like a grid.”
Southie, in that capacity, is something of a guinea pig. But to some, Police Commissioner Bill Evans suggested, it’s like riding a bike.
“Years ago, those side streets were two-way,” he said, so they’ve been rerouted like this before.
When asked about the strength of a Tuesday snow storm and the monetary cost of snow operations, Mayor Walsh estimated we’ll be spending another $7 million and that the budget has ballooned to around $32 million. It was initially set, based on a five-year average, of $18.5 million.
