Neighbors suggest mobilizing the youth, supporting community clean-up, and following models that work to improve Boston’s snow emergency response
Recent snow emergencies have left neighbors less than satisfied with the city’s ability to clear roads. On March 3, the City Council held a hearing to unpack a series of proposals exploring snow-relief options and to listen to community feedback.
Although the council was quick to recognize the efforts of emergency workers, Boston’s response to the two major storms this year lagged behind those of other major metropolitan areas. In New York City, Mayor Zohran Mamdani raised the hourly rate for snow shoveling to $30 an hour, drawing in more than 1,500 residents.
Interim Chief of Streets Nick Gove said there had been several efforts over the years to implement similar programs, but that there had not been time to unpack what that would look like at scale.
Similarly, Gove suggested that moving Boston closer to Montreal’s system of mobilizing workers en masse would require a cultural shift. “It is a combination of a lot of the tools we have, but also a culture of compliance to move vehicles,” he said. When storms roll in, residents of Montreal move their cars into the city’s surplus of garages, making removal far more efficient.
Despite the logistical hurdles of overhauling Boston’s snow emergency response, neighbors suggested a variety of potential solutions.
Cassandra Xavier, who is blind, said the storms have been particularly dangerous for residents with disabilities. She recounted that due to the blockage of sidewalks, she is often forced to walk in the street.
“Feeling the wind of the cars going past my body, or when the cars are at a standstill, feel the heat come off of the cars onto my body,” she said.
“Shame on the city, shame on the landlords,” said Bill Taube, a legally blind resident.
Taube invited the mayor and state officials to walk the neighborhoods with him and Xavier to “show what it’s like to be a blind person,” he said.
Additionally, Taube suggested implementing “snow removal for financial literacy,” a program that would employ residents aged 16 to 22 to remove snow in exchange for funds added to an account they could access at 25.
100 For Democracy consultant Alex Alex suggested adopting a snow day exchange for BPS students. In a video posted to his Instagram, Alex explained that snow days would count on the academic calendar if students helped clear snow, were physically active, and spent part of their day reading and watching the news.
Alex added that the city could organize supplies and warmstations for community clean-up efforts.
Similar organized efforts conducted by the Boston Cyclists Union, Democratic Socialists of America’s (DSA) Allston/Brighton branch, and Boston University Urbanism Club played critical roles in clearing medians, curbcuts, and crosswalks. “This was not a city operation,” said XXX. “Instead, it was led by average people in AB with plastic shovels fueled by Dunkin Donuts hot chocolate,” said Nafew Nowshad.
The council is still considering multiple resolutions aimed at making the next storm more manageable, including forming a Snow Corps to match volunteers with elderly and disabled residents to help with shoveling and purchasing additional snow melters.
Councilor Ed Flynn said he would hold another hearing to gather more community feedback in the coming months.
