Mayor Thomas M. Menino has announced that a Snow Emergency and parking ban for the City of Boston will go into effect tonight at 7pm to ensure that city roads are cleared for the morning commute.   Due to the unpredictable nature of this storm and conflicting forecasts, Mayor Menino has issued this snow emergency to allow Public Works crews the best opportunity to treat, plow, and clear the streets as efficiently as possible, particularly after the City has experienced 50 inches of snow in just 30 days.   

Mayor Menino reminds people that if they must travel into the city tomorrow to take public transportation to keep as many cars off of city streets as possible.  The Mayor also asks residents for patience as the City works to clear streets during this recent string of heavy snow and weather events. 

In preparation for the storm, the City has been moving snow from main arteries, intersections, and roadways throughout Boston that present a public safety concern.  Public Works crews transport snow to “snow farms” across the city and pre-treat roadways prior to the snow event.  The city has over 500 pieces of snow removal equipment at the ready and nearly 25,000 tons of salt at depots across the city. The City’s emergency homeless shelters will be open throughout the day and evening to ensure everyone has a place to stay during the storm. Boston Centers for Youth and Families will close at 6pm today and will be open tomorrow, January 27^th.

The Mayor has also activated the City of Boston Storm Center to provide information and service to Boston residents for all storm-related issues.  Residents with storm-related questions or concerns should call the Mayor’s 24-Hour Hotline at (617) 635-4500 which will have extra staff on hand to field any possible increase in calls due to the storm. 

Mayor Menino reminds residents of the following:      

• During a Snow Emergency, parking is prohibited on all major arteries in Boston. These streets are posted with “Tow Zone No Parking During Snow Emergency” signs.
• A listing of major arteries and alternate parking can be found at http://www.cityofboston.gov/snow/parking/.
• On streets other than major arteries, do not park within 20 feet of an intersection or further than one foot from the curb, as this impedes access for both emergency vehicles and snow plows. 
• Older residents or those with health conditions should refrain from shoveling this heavy wet snow.
• Do not throw snow back into the street. “Throwbacks” force the city to remove snow from the same street twice.
• Property owners are reminded to shovel snow from sidewalks that abut their homes and businesses and any handicapped ramps close to your homes or business.
• Please check on elderly neighbors and others in need.

            During declared snow emergencies, discounted parking is available at several parking lots and garages to cars that display Boston resident parking stickers. Residents are encouraged to use the City’s “Know Snow” program to be notified when a snow emergency is declared and canceled as well for access to other important storm-related information.  To receive notifications, register for the city’s Alert Boston network at http://www.cityofboston.gov/alertboston.  If you would like to receive updates on the storm on Twitter you can follow us: @NotifyBoston. 

For more information, please visit http://www.cityofboston.gov/snow/.