• Vehicles must move from City lots by 6 p.m.; parking meters back in effect at 6 p.m.
• Property owners must clear sidewalks by sunset

The snow emergency is lifted effective 4 p.m. Monday. Beginning at 4 p.m., vehicles parked in city lots will have two hours to move out of the lots. Vehicles not moved from lots by 6 p.m. Monday will be ticketed and towed so that City crews can safely plow. Meters citywide will go into effect at 6 p.m. Residents may also resume parking in City and metered lots after they have been cleared. Please note that although the ban is lifted, vehicle owners must still allow safe passage for emergency vehicles. To avoid ticketing and towing, cars must be parked within 1 foot of the curb, no vehicle may park within 20 feet of an intersection, and at least 15-feet of road passage must be maintained at all times to allow fire truck access.

PERMIT VISIBILITY & SNOW REMOVAL FROM VEHICLES: Once the snow emergency has been lifted, parking permit stickers must be visible within 24 hours (by 4 p.m. Tuesday), and cars must be cleared and shoveled out within 48 hours (by 4 p.m. Wednesday).

SIDEWALK SHOVELING: Property owners have 6 daylight hours from the end of snowfall to clear sidewalks. For this storm, this means sidewalk shoveling enforcement will begin Tuesday morning. Property owners are subject to ticketing each day their sidewalk is not clear of snow and ice. Sidewalks must be cleared to a 3-foot-wide path down to the pavement, and snow may not be shoveled into the street. Because temperatures are expected to drop below freezing tonight, we urge property owners to clear sidewalks as soon as possible.

If you are a senior or are otherwise physically unable to shovel, please call the Council on Aging by calling 311 during normal business hours to sign up in advance for assistance during the NEXT storm. For assistance immediately, the independent website www.snowcrew.org may be able to match you with a volunteer.

Our firefighters and DPW crews are also working to shovel out fire hydrants and catch basins. If you are able, they greatly appreciate any help. Please also consider assisting elderly neighbors or others who may need help shoveling out.

If you have a non-emergency question, please call 311 (or 617-666-3311 from outside the city).

Openings & Closings for Monday, March 4

Somerville Public Schools will be closed on Monday, March 4. Daytime Council on Aging activities are canceled. City Hall will be open at noon but all other City Offices will be closed. The Central and East Branch Libraries will open at 2 p.m. Evening programs at the Rink will be held as scheduled. The Kennedy Pool will be closed. School Committee is canceled. School Building Committee meeting is canceled. Other evening activities at City Hall will be held as scheduled. For the status of additional afternoon and evening activities, please call 311.

Trash and recycling pickup will remain on schedule.

Bike lanes and cycle tracks will be plowed as part of our snow removal; however, they may have snow or ice buildup during the storm and the hours immediately afterward. Please use caution when riding a bike and consider using other modes of transportation if you must travel.

For more information, please visit www.somervillema.gov/snow or contact 311.

GENERAL SNOW EMERGENCY INFORMATION

Sidewalk Shoveling:
To ensure safe passage for all, property owners are responsible for removing snow and ice from sidewalks abutting their property within 6 daylight hours of the end of snowfall.

Avoid Parking within 20 feet of an intersection
To leave enough clearance for plows and emergency vehicles, cars parked within 20 feet of an intersection may be subject to ticketing and towing if they are deemed to be likely to restrict access. This regulation is enforced as needed and is especially important to adhere to on narrower streets.

Snow Shoveling Assistance
The Somerville Teen Shoveling program is a paid program for youth to shovel out seniors or persons with disabilities after a snow storm in Somerville. Teens and homeowners are paired for the season. You must apply and be paired with teen shovelers well in advance of a storm. To enquire how to sign up for future storms, contact Christopher Hosman, Community Services Manager, 617-625-6600 x 2406 or chosman@somervillema.gov.

Driveway use & Careful parking
If you have access to a driveway, please consider using it during snow emergencies, or even sharing it with a neighbor or friend. When using on-street parking, please try to park to allow room for others where possible rather than using more than one space.

City alerts
Community members are encouraged to sign up for the City’s alert system at to receive emergency phone, email and/or text message alerts as well as important information for your neighborhood. Sign up for alerts at www.somervillema.gov/alerts or by calling 311 (617-666-3311 from cell phones or outside the city).

When and how are snow emergencies called?
A snow emergency may be declared whenever four or more inches of snow are predicted. City officials closely monitor multiple forecasts, factor in snow type, snow rate, temperatures, forecasts for the following days, and more. In short, they use all available advance information to make an informed decision; however, the decision must be made well before snow starts to fall. Generally, snow emergencies must start at least 6 hours prior to the start of snowfall to allow residents to time to move their vehicles, then provide time for ticketing and towing of vehicles blocking plows, and to allow time for treatment of roads before snow starts.

How to stay informed about snow emergencies
Once a snow emergency has been declared, residents are notified via multiple lines of communication, including: City alerts, City Cable TV (Comcast Ch. 15 & 22, RCN Ch. 13, 15, & 613), local media (online, radio, print, TV, etc.), City social media including www.facebook.com/SomervilleCity, www.facebook.com/311Somerville, Twitter @SomervilleCity and @311Somerville, the City website www.somervillema.gov, and flashing blue lights activated at 22 key intersections in the City (when lights are flashing, a snow emergency is in effect).