Hey, there! Log in / Register
Fenway intersection suggests that America's most walkable city is really a car city
By adamg on Sun, 01/30/2022 - 6:26pm
Around 5 p.m. Nick Aldwin reported from Queensberry Street in the Fenway:
There's just...no way to get to the even block of Queensberry. All crosswalks are blocked with a plow pile as high as the stop sign. Usually I'd shovel this out..it's way too much snow today.
Neighborhoods:
Topics:
Free tagging:
Ad:
Support Universal Hub
Help keep Universal Hub going. If you like what we're up to and want to help out, please consider a (completely non-deductible) contribution.
Comments
I had the same issue at the
I had the same issue at the street corner of a property that I shovel and submitted to 311. I am some kind of "elite" snow shoveler and It took me over an hour of back breaking labor to clear that pile of compacted snow, or 3 time as long as I spent shoveling the remaining 70 to 80' of sidewalk. I had some murderous thoughts toward the guy who did this but they are finally starting to fade away as my back is recovering. I noticed similar snow plowed-on-sidewalk corner situations while walking around this PM when I don't remember this being much of an issue in the past.
Also for some reason my 311 screen app still doesn't show anything related to snow issues and I had to submit under "other". It used to be a seasonal item. I had to submit a report about that as well; such a productive day!
Same situation, I got through
Same situation, I got through to 311 after clearing my corner and drain twice yesterday..
They said too bad! Snow has to go somewhere and the street needs to be open for emergency vehicles.
Because more pedestrians will …
… be injured now that they have to walk in the streets.
There was a snow emergency, no?
Shouldn't that somewhere be empty parking spots rather than blocking pedestrian access to the sidewalk?
Come to Dorchester
There are no snow piles blocking crosswalks because most of the snow is still on the road.
What area of Dorchester? I
What area of Dorchester? I drove a mix of major and minor roads today midafternoon and all clear.
Update the 311 App
I noticed last month I didn't have "unshoveled sidewalk" on the list in Bos311, but that option showed up after I downloaded an update.
Thanks for the tip. I was
Thanks for the tip. I was about to follow up on that advice but as I opened my phone's 311 app just now, "Sidewalk not shoveled" showed up at the top of the screen under "Choose service -seasonal". It definitely wasn't there last night. That's progress!
Snow Piles from Plows Everywhere
Piles at all intersections on my street. Same response from 311, snow has to go somewhere.
In prior years, plow drivers found a reasonable place to put the snow. Does this administration want to report on metrics of plowing, but ignore quality? Why make it difficult for pedestrians and impossible for homeowners who can't clear these giant piles?
The roads look good!
The roads look good!
Okay
So you will have no excuse to NOT hit people who are forced to walk in the roads. Right?
Where should you put it?
The roads need to be clear for emergency vehicles to move as easily as possible. Where else should the snow go? When a storm that big comes, this is what we live with.
I’m sure if anyone had an idea that would keep the streets open, while avoiding the picture above (and is a feasible idea) the city would listen.
It's pretty easy
Ban street parking until the snow is gone. Plow the snow to the side of the road, leaving space for emergency vehicles. As time and labor permits, load the snow into trucks and remove it, re-open street parking.
There has to be a viable solution
World class city and all, surely we can figure it out. We certainly wouldn't have to do much to make an improvement on what we're doing now. I was less than impressed with the clearing on some of the main arteries this morning that are subject to the existing snow emergency parking ban.
I swear in the past I've heard that the parking ban is put in place in part to facilitate clearing the snow "curb to curb" on these main roads.
[Quotation ref: https://boston.cbslocal.com/2018/01/03/marty-walsh-charlie-baker-january...
We need Broadway cleared for the Parade
other than that, quit your belly-achin' and wait til May.
Ehhh
Given the shortage of ploy drivers, there will be an equal shortage of truck drivers to remove the snow.
And some folks need those cars to get to jobs that are not within a public transportation stop, or walkable. Also, emergencies come up that require people to need their cars (not every emergency is where you are at in that moment - such as maybe a parent is rushed to the hospital in Rhode Island and you would like to get to them quickly before they potentially pass).
And there are not enough garages for all these cars.
Your idea may work if you did the city in sections (maybe follow the street cleaning schedule?).
But that being said, to expect perfection 24 hours after 2ft of snow falls is out of line.
Somehow
Somerville, which has residents per square mile than Boston, manages to make this work with alternate side parking.
Longwood Medical Area
Longwood Medical Area does an outstanding job of this (at least 15ish years ago when I was there). Streets clear and wide open , snowbanks removed, sidewalks to bare pavement. It was a joy to behold.
Case noted, area clear.
Case noted, area clear.
Good one!!
.
Emergency vehicles are only
Emergency vehicles are only half the equation. When the EMS crew can't get to your building, or can't get the stretcher over a 4 foot pile of snow, a fat lot of good an ambulance is to you.
If I know that corner...
...and I think I do, there's a rather large park on the other side of the street where it could go.
It’s not that hard
to leave some gaps in snowbanks at crosswalks. You don’t even have to realistically clear the full width (IMMEDIATELY during/after the storm, before I get jumped on by a select few for that statement). Just wide enough that wheelchairs, EMT’s, etc. have more than enough clearance in an emergency. Then pile the excess snow a bit taller around it. The city should also prioritize clearing these corners first when they bring the snow melters out, or figure out another plan to have them fully cleared by the end of the snow emergency.
As long as everything is
As long as everything is cleared for cars who cares about pedestrians.
You are supposed to shovel the whole sidewalk - not just the width of your shovel. Imagine being handicapped and trying to get around after a storm. People won't even shovel their sidewalks never mind the handicap ramps. But man, they will shovel their cars out perfectly.