We’ve seen record-setting snowfall in the past two weeks in Boston, creating difficult challenges for Department of Public Works crews who have been working around the clock to remove the snow from the streets and roadways.
During last week’s snowstorm, Chestnut Street looked barely plowed. During this week’s snowstorm, the street on Monday was almost down to the pavement.
These storms have been unusual in the total snowfall accumulation and there has been really no melting of this snow with temperatures remaining well below freezing.
It is interesting to note that the City of Boston has the same number of plows (more than 800) as it has had in any previous year. However, where can anyone put this amount of snow on such narrow streets? Cars on Chestnut Street and Walnut Street are just buried in snow. Street parking spaces have be cut in half as piles of snow are just put there. Piles of snow on any street are now more than 10 feet tall and there is even more snow in the forecast later in the week.
We have noticed that our meteorologists gave us ample warning that such devastating storms were heading our way. Our Boston TV weather forecasters were right on the mark in predicting the severe weather.
Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin J. Walsh have been front and center informing our residents of the latest developments about transportation, public safety, and snowplowing operations. Our Governor and our Mayor have done an exceptional job in what was a real test of their leadership and administrative skills during the snow emergency and blizzard conditions.
We agree with the Mayor and school officials’ decision to close our Boston schools until it is deemed safe for our schoolchildren to navigate the sidewalks and walkways leading to the school buildings.
And just for irony, we have heard that in Minnesota temperatures over the weekend were in the 40s.