Emergency parking compliance continues to be poor as for the second time this year, the City of Cambridge has had to tow hundreds of cars to keep major streets clear for plows. As of about noon today, 300 tickets have already been issued, and 180 cars have already been towed. During last month’s storm, Cambridge issued nearly 200 tickets and towed nearly 140 vehicles total.
An emergency parking ban was put in order across the city starting at 9 a.m. yesterday morning in preparation for the major blizzard currently battering the Northeast. The early timing of the ban, which was three hours earlier than Somerville’s and five hours earlier than Boston’s, was intentional, according to city media relations director Jeremy Warnick.
“With much lower than needed compliance during the last [snowstorm], we determined that additional lead time was necessary to remove vehicles before snowfall begins,” Warnick told Cambridge Day via email. He said residents’ refusal to move their cars during last month’s storm led to it taking 24 hours to tow all cars in the way of plows, slowing down Department of Public Works (DPW) efforts.
Towing during active snowfall not only delays snow removal but is also more difficult to operate and requires additional equipment, according to Warnick.
“Given the volume of snow predicted for this storm, combined with the existing snow already on the ground, it is critical to have clear access to major corridors before conditions deteriorate,” he wrote. “When vehicles remain on major roadways as snow begins to fall, plowing operations slow considerably and access for emergency vehicles and buses can be compromised.”
The early action proved difficult for Cambridge’s faith community, whose Sunday morning services were impacted by the ban.
“The 9 AM declaration was a big hardship for houses of worship. My own parish had to dramatically downscale its services and programs with very short notice,” said Bliss Austin Spooner in an email. She attends Christ Church Cambridge, an Episcopalian church in Harvard Square. She noted that many religious buildings in Cambridge are on major streets subject to snow parking bans.
Larry Kim, senior pastor at Central Square Church, said in an email that the parking ban had affected services. “Like many churches in the city, we have many members who commute into the city for Sunday worship and they were discouraged that the city called a snow emergency during our service times.”
He added, though, that he thought the city had done a “great job” getting word out about the storm, and “that most people realize how difficult these snow emergencies are for the city and that having cars off certain streets well in advance has some merit to it.”
Warnick acknowledged the difficulty of this disruption, saying that the decision to begin the ban early on a Sunday morning was “not made lightly.”
“We understand how disruptive a snow emergency can be, particularly when it affects houses of worship and the many residents who rely on those gatherings for connection and support,” he said. “We remain committed to working with faith leaders and community partners to share timely information and minimize disruption wherever possible.”
Massive power outages have also affected the state, although Cambridge has been mostly spared. According to the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, over 290,000 customers of the four energy providers statewide are without power as of 2:30 today. The city’s primary service provider, Eversource, has only reported two outages listed in Cambridge and one in Somerville, all affecting an estimated less than five people each.
Sergeant Bob Reardon, public information officer for the Cambridge Police Department, said he is also not aware of any widespread power outages in Cambridge.
“It’s best for folks to remain off the roads to the extent they’re able to,” he told the Cambridge Day via email. “For not only their own safety but also to assist DPW crews with the on-going clean-up efforts.”
This story was updated to add a comment from Larry Kim, senior pastor at Central Square Church.
A stronger
Please consider making a financial contribution to maintain, expand and improve Cambridge Day.
We are now a 501(c)3 nonprofit and all donations are tax deductible.
Please consider a recurring contribution.