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Boston and neighboring cities are cracking down on uncleared sidewalks
Boston issued over 1,200 citations for uncleared sidewalks this week.
Boston winter:
As winter storms and freezing temperatures grip the Boston area, residents are struggling to clear hazardous street conditions, prompting city officials to double down on enforcement efforts.
Between Sunday and Wednesday, Boston issued over 1,200 citations for uncleared sidewalks.
“We need to do a better job of this collectively,” Mayor Michelle Wu said during an emergency preparedness briefing on Thursday. “It’s everyone’s job to be taking care of our neighborhoods.”
Boston residents and business owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice from sidewalks in front of and on their property within three hours of snowfall ending, or three hours after sunrise if it snows overnight.
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It has been a notably cold winter in Boston, with roughly three times the amount of snow compared to last year, according to meteorologists. As temperatures plummet, Wu said icy streets are making for unsafe conditions.
“We have seen many instances where the storm hits and then there is a freeze, the temperatures drop for the next several days so whatever ends up not being cleared right away turns into a very dangerous slippery patch of ice,” said Wu at the briefing.
But unsafe street conditions are not unique to Boston — slippery streets are widespread across the region.
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Following the snowstorm over the weekend, Cambridge conducted 262 inspections and issued 105 violations from just Monday through Wednesday, officials told Boston.com. The city has given out 444 violations so far this winter season.
Between Dec. 1 and Feb. 21, the town of Brookline issued 300 tickets and received 1,134 complaints about uncleared sidewalks, according to town data obtained by Boston.com. Brookline property owners that fail to comply with the town’s snow removal bylaw could be issued fines ranging from $100 to $250 per day, according to officials.
As of Wednesday, Somerville has given out 894 tickets and received 1,552 complaints about unshoveled sidewalks since November, a city spokesperson told Boston.com.
But as property owners try to clear the streets, ice melt has become a hot commodity.
Local supply stores in Boston and the surrounding areas are scrambling to keep ice melt in stock, Boston.com previously reported.
However, a Boston spokesperson said the city has not experienced any salt supply issues with its vendor.
“Our winter storm operations have continued on without any disruptions,” the spokesperson said.
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