Mayor: 'Full Clean-Up' Will Take Several Days
82 pieces of equipment have been out plowing and sanding the streets of Malden over the past 30 hours, Christenson said in a statement to residents.
Dear Malden Residents,
With a little more than two feet of snow upon us, and many residents outside working to clean out cars and driveways, I would like to give you an update on our snow removal plan for the next few days.
First, I’m grateful for the hard work and dedication of our Department of Public Works. Last night, 82 pieces of equipment were out plowing and sanding the streets of Malden. The DPW and their contracted staff worked extremely hard as visibility was nearly zero throughout much of the night, slowing the plowing operation to a crawl. Please be patient and understand that the full cleanup will take several days.
We are now approaching a time where our DPW staff has been on the road for over 30 hours. We will be rotating shifts to allow for proper rest and driver and resident safety. The DPW will regroup for another major operation over the next 48 hours. Again, this storm is a multi-day cleanup operation.
Further Storm Updates:
- According to National Grid, no homes in the City of Malden are without power. For this I am very thankful.
- According to DPW Director, Bobby Knox, the cleanup strategy at this time is to widen and clear major roads and to create one passable lane on small side streets. They will then go back later with larger trucks and widen the side streets. This is critically important due to the need to expose catch basins and fire hydrants.
- With the effort to widen the streets to obtain access to catch basins and fire hydrants, some snow will be pushed back onto sidewalks and driveways. Our DPW understands this is frustrating for people, but this is the only way to accomplish public safety and avoid potential flooding, since major rain is in the forecast for next week. The DPW asks for your patience and cooperation in this historic storm.
- If there is a fire hydrant or a catch basin in close proximity to your property, and if you have the ability to help clear it out, this would be a major help from a public safety perspective and will be most appreciated.
- It is illegal to blow or shovel your snow into the streets. By City Ordinance, homeowners must shovel sidewalks bordering their properties. I respectfully ask individuals with snowblowers and plows to please assist your neighbors, especially the elderly and disabled, to clear their sidewalks in case of a medical emergency. This is a heavy snow, so please help your neighbors if you are able.
- Please be sure your children (and pets) don’t play or walk in the streets, as sometimes snowplow operators are blinded by snowdrifts and may not see them.
- Trash pickup has been delayed by one day. Trash pickup this week will follow a Monday holiday schedule.
- For questions please email DPW@cityofmalden.org.
- For further updates please log onto the City website www@cityofmalden.org.
Again, I’m grateful for the dedication of our Department of Public Works and our first responders. I appreciate your efforts and patience as we work together to get our City cleared of snow!
Gary Christenson
MAYOR
Mitch
4:58 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
I understand that they need to rest but people need to go work. The hills like Plymouth rd should be done sooner then other streets...... It's dangerous to try to drive on them
Portagoon
7:50 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
I live on Lake St and a plow came by once and barely did half the street. We called DPW twice and both times they said to call back in 2 hours. Of course people dug themselves out and started to park their cars in the middle of the street because there is no place else to put. There is no way any emergency vehicles can come down the street. I have nothing good to say about DPW. I don't feel bad because they have to work 30 hours because that is their job. Please come by and do your job on my street.
Jennifer Carroll
5:16 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
So what is the news on school on monday will there be school
Chris Caesar
5:21 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Hey Jennifer, the plan is to have schools open on Monday: http://patch.com/A-0GFT
Chris Caesar
2:19 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Scratch that, school is canceled.
Alethia B.
7:28 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Thank you, Mayor Christenson for the updates they are extremely helpful!
I appreciate your efforts to make Malden a better city because I know that you have a lot on your plate to deal with daily!
My neighbors on my street are "Awesome", we all worked together tenants and home owners to clear the sidewalks and driveways!!!!
AppleBottom02148
9:29 pm on Saturday, February 9, 2013
Great job DWP
linda
8:14 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
I understand that this was a very difficult storm and these poor people were out plowing for hours and hours, but what are we going to do now that people are parking back on the street. Emerg. vehicles will not be able to get down these streets. Also is the parking ban over and are people supposed to be parking on the street. One last thing -- do we really have to put up with people putting chairs and other items on the street to hold their spaces. If the plows are not able to come back and widen the streets because these cars are parked on the street, if there is another storm, we are in big trouble. I lied -- one more last thing -- what is the point of the parking ban if the cars that remain on the street during the ban are not towed or even ticketed! I know it is difficult to tow during a storm, but if you don't do it once, then nobody will ever follow the rules.
Frank Ryan
10:10 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
I wouldn't be surprised if 100 cars were towed during the snow emergency. My advice is to call the Malden Police Department and inform them about all illegally parked cars.
linda
11:27 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Frank, just curious, you say you wouldn't be surprised if 100 cars were towed. Do you know that the city was towing or you assume. Do they only tow from main streets do you know?
david mokal
3:59 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
They have been towing. Hear it on the scanners.
Amy
8:39 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
We still haven't seen a single plow on our street sibce friday evening. DPW states courts, parks and terraces last. I think I'll pay my taxes last too. Not impressed! I know they're working hard, but people cannot get up or down our street unless they have a 4 wheel drive large vehicle. The neighbors had had Chinese New Year last night and the man was literally shoveling the street trying to make it for his family to be able to come.
bill summers
8:45 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
worst plowing i have EVER seen.DPW just driving by with plows up in the air 5 times yesterday(sat afternoon) while i was digging out myself on cherry street.can you guys make the streets a little wider because everybody is going to walk on the streets now too.
Portagoon
8:52 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
linda
11:25 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
is parking now allowed on the street?
Chris Caesar
2:20 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Emergency parking conditions remain in effect until 5am Monday.
linda
11:32 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
The City website requested that you not contact the DPW for any missed streets until the storm was over. Well I guess if you don't actually live on the street that was missed so an ambulance could not get down, it's not a big deal? Just wait until the storm is over to even request that a pass be made? Not sure who wrote that, but they might want to think about rewriting that,
david mokal
4:03 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
It means if you are an ol guy like me and you get a heart attack from shovellin your not to call anyone cause they wont be able to save you. I guess you wont be down for breakfast.
happy days
11:57 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Eastern ave is a mess ,best avoided ,the fellsway is plowed real well
linda
12:10 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
just got my call from the city saying parking ban is on until 5:00 a.m. tomorrow. I called the d.p.w. who advised that when they came around again, they would not be able to widen anything if the cars were still there and i should call the Police Department.
linda
12:11 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
by the way i did call
linda
12:24 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
police going up and down the street making cars move. thank you much! hopefully the dpw will be along soon to clean it up
Portagoon
2:01 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
So now it is our job to do the police and DPW's work and call to get people towed. If we don't then they will not plow our street. I wish I had the option of no paying my taxes. Not sure what they do with my money since they are not plowing my street. I have put in requests through the city's website but still waiting. This is a joke and the Mayor should be embarrassed.
Diana
2:15 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Making a phone call doesn't seem all that burdensome, although I realize it's less fun than whining on the internet.
Portagoon
8:42 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
So it looks like Diana got her street plowed. Must be nice. It is obvious that Diana has trouble collecting all the facts before attacking someone she doesn't know. I have posted on this site the fact that I called multiple times and nothing happened. Also I have used the city website to put in a form requesting my street be cleaned many times. Street still not plowed. Next time you might want to actually read before you make stupid comments accusing someone of being a whiner.
Diana
10:25 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
That wasn't less whiny.
linda
2:43 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
police have been making cars move and even a car towed. dpw just showed up, but not much of an effort to widen streets. hope they are not done because all of that will have been for nothing. waiting patiently. maybe they need front end loader to at least clear the snow banks from the corners at the stop signs. just a thought. hope they are coming back
Amy
2:44 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Just plowed! Thank you, good job too!
Andrew25
6:10 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Haha.... Love this post!
david mokal
4:06 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
More fun to whine on the internet.
linda
4:49 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
A second plow (City Truck - BIG orange dump truck) No. 47 on the Door. I wish I had his name. He plowed Harvard Street area around 3:00 and is still plowing. HE WAS AMAZING. He did a wonderful job opening up the intersections and widening the streets. Of course you have a few idiots who decide even after the Police had cars moved and towed that once the Police left the law didn't apply to them, but aside from those cars The Mystery Man in No. 47 did a wonderful job, Harvard, Henry (and I haven't left my house yet, but I would imagine the other side streets in my area that he was plowing). Thank you so much!
Andrew25
6:08 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Squeaky wheel gets the grease:)
Rudolph Trulli
6:17 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Bishop Rd. has 8" of hard packed snow on it. Why don't. The plows put the blade down to the street ??????. Awful plowing job.
paul surette
9:32 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Portagoon, don't feel bad....Diana never remembers to put an apple pie in my Happy Meal bag :(