Snow In Arlington: What To Know About Closing, Parking Ban

ARLINGTON, MA — The National Weather Service issued a winter storm advisory and a wind advisory for until 1 p.m. Thursday across the state, including in Arlington, and a number of schools including Boston and Somerville Public Schools have cancelled school at the thought of the snow. It took a while, but Arlington Public Schools are closed on account of the snow, too.

What? Snow? Yep: Snow was expected to accumulate in the range of between 6 and 10 inches by Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

Arlington schools announced the school closing early Thursday. Arlington Patch will continue to update this story with cancellations as we learn about them. Check here for the full list: Do you have a snow day March 8?

The town also declared a snow emergency and parking ban til noon Thursday. There will be no trash collection, they announced. This will mean a one day delay for the rest of the week. And even though last night they were asking folks to put out their trash, that's changed. Make sure your trash and recycling isn't caked in snow so the removal folks can have at it later.

Generally, the Public Works Director will call a "snow emergency" when excessive amounts of snow are predicted. All vehicles are required to be removed from all roadways to allow for a better clearing job. All vehicles left on the road are subject to tow.

Town hall and offices and the Fox Library will open at noon.

Here's some useful info taken from the town website:

Upcoming Storm, Snow Reminders & Policy

During a storm, all are encouraged to exercise caution when traveling and park off-street to help facilitate snow removal operations. After a storm, residents and businesses are reminded to keep public walkways clear in accordance with Town bylaws.

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Town Bylaws Regarding Snow & Ice Removal
The bylaws require residents and businesses to remove snow and ice from any sidewalks abutting their property following a storm. Residents should remove snow and ice from abutting paved sidewalks within eight hours between sunrise and sunset after a storm, businesses and owners of any residential property utilized for apartment house or multi unit condominium use that abuts a paved sidewalk have three hours. Please don’t forget to cut a path to the street if you live on a corner. It is also prohibited to move snow into the roadway. Failure to comply with these bylaws can result in a fine of $25 to $50 per day.

Parked Cars in Roadway
Cars parked in roadways during snow removal operations can impede removal progress. Residents are encouraged to park their vehicles off-street during these events so Public Works can complete the task more efficiently and with better results.

Adopt a Fire Hydrant
The Arlington Fire Department asks residents and business owners to adopt a fire hydrant in their neighborhood. When it snows, take the time to shovel around it as well as to it. A clear hydrant expedites their deployment in the event of an emergency. Locate your neighborhood fire hydrants.

Clear Catch Basins
There are over 3,600 catch basins in Arlington. The Town asks residents and business owners to help reduce the risk of localized street flooding by clearing catch basins in their neighborhood. Fire hydrants should also be clear in the event of an emergency. Locate your neighborhood catch basins.

Secure Trash & Recycling at Curb
Trash, recycling, and yard waste containers should be on the curb and secured in a manner to prevent them from going into the roadway and impeding snow removal operations. Bylaws require that waste be placed for collection at the curb no earlier than 6:00 p.m. the evening before scheduled collection. Items buried in snow will not be collected and if left out on the curb after your collection day may be subject to a fine. Storm conditions may require some extra planning on when to bring out your items. Please plan accordingly.

Helping Neighbors, LINKS program
Assist neighbors who may need extra help with snow removal. The LINKS program serves many seniors in Town, but cannot serve them all.

Important Phone Numbers
Residents are reminded of the following important phone numbers and recommend you print, or otherwise make available offline should you lose power:

- Report downed electrical wires: call 911 and Eversource at 1-800-592-2000.
- Report a power outage to Eversource at 1-800-592-2000 or at eversource.com.
- Report a downed street tree or limb to DPW dispatch at 781-316-3301.

Photo by Jenna Fisher/Patch