Waltham Snow Crews Have Much Work To Do; Parking Ban To Be Lifted
Higher temperatures in the forecast could help crews clear the roads.
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As the city works to recover from the snowstorm, Waltham public works crews “still have a lot of work to do,” in clearing the city’s streets, according to Consolidated Public Works Director Michael Chiasson.
As of 6 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 9, Chiasson described the roads as “average,” but he said crews have their work cut out for them.
"We have a lot of cleanup to do still," Chiasson said.
However, the snow emergency will be lifted as of 10 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 10. That means motorists must have their cars out of Waltham Public Schools lots by 10 a.m. to give plow crews room to work. Also, motorists must have their cars out of city-owned lots before regular parking hours resume on Monday, Feb. 11.
As for whether school will be held on Monday, there is no official word yet. Chiasson said he believes the roads will be adequate to allow schools to open, but his crews are still working to clear sidewalks.
Chiasson said much of the cleanup operations would depend on the upcoming weather. Sunday's forecast calls for 32 degrees and sunny and Monday's forecast calls for 45 degrees with rain, according to Accuweather.com.
Also, the city still has to clear snow from the sides of roads and tricky intersections, he said.
Overall, Chiasson said the CPW did an “OK” job clearing snow given the dark and windy blizzard conditions crews endured.
"It was a tough storm, through the overnight ... It was really hard to do a real good job,” he said. "Overall, we did an ok job. Not having too much blizzard experience, we can’t rate it against anything else.”
The storm did not cause any injuries for his workers. On Friday night, however, a CPW worker in a Bobcat tipped over during a wind gust. Thankfully, it occurred outside of the fire department headquarters on Lexington Street and crews quickly freed the driver. The driver was not harmed, Chiasson said.
jski42
9:11 am on Sunday, February 10, 2013
The school lots are a mess, with 5 ft high and 3 ft wide snow banks in front of every car. It took two of us over two hours to free one car. Also not sure how street parking is going to work, since the snow drifts are 5 ft high. Very dangerous driving also, can't see past the snowbanks at intersections. Why not give the city an extra day to clear the roads and sidewalks for the kids safety and keep cars off the street? The driving is just really bad around the city right now.
Hawffa
1:31 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Waltham roads are terrible! Burlington roads are great! Watertown are too! Looks like our tax dollars go to pay for the trucks to stay home all day saturday and looks like Sunday too! They Prob didn't have enough notice!
Hawffa
1:44 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Also the public school lots are terrible. We don't have supervisors to check on these lots!! Years ago plow drivers took better care cleaning. Looks like slobs are on the payroll!
Kym
2:51 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
I agree with Eric the roads are a mess!!! No sanding trucks out for the residents of Waltham! Nobody you can reach in the evening to report the dangerous intersections that need to be sanded after the ban has been lifted... The roads are poorly plowed as last night some roads were not even plow yet.
Where are the City workers?
Tax $ hard at work!!! . Kym R.
Joseph G. Paquette
2:57 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
PINE HILL CIRCLE, NORTH WALTHAM HERE, IS IN DESPERATE NEED OF A MAJOR SANDING & SALTING!!!
GrampaJoe
4:54 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Taxpayers should be appalled at the condition of the roads. I understand, it was a tough storm but what are neighboring towns doing that we aren't? Watertown Main has been down to pavement since Saturday afternoon. Warren St in Waltham and Beaver St look like they haven't seen a plow since who knows when. I can accept side streets being in rough shape, but major traffic routes? no wonder they can't open the schools...
moe howard
6:02 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
It's not the city workers, its the contractors. Waltham doesn't have the equipment. Go look for yourself. I did.
Kmd
11:04 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
You are funny all day city trucks are plowing my street maybe take your glasses next time you look. Ya some if not most are contractors but there is city trucks.
Kym
6:06 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Waltham had plenty of notice of this Blizzard coming!
What is the reason for the roads to look this bad?
Where were the plow trucks and sand trucks?
Kmd
10:24 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
I don't need glasses I was commenting on what moe Howard was saying so relax. I was actually sticking up for you cause you were right. There are city trucks and workers plowing.
moe howard
6:20 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
It's Bush's fault
Ace
6:36 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
I'd like to see the city write incentives and penalties into the snow contracts. Low bidder may not be the best bidder. Lets reward the contractors who get it right and hit the others right in the pocketbook
Waltham11
6:55 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
It seem pretty clear at this point that the parking ban should not have been lift earlier today. I hope the town learns a valuable lesson from this experience and improves their decision making in the future.
kcm
7:31 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
I agree the parking ban should not have been lifted. Also whoever is in charge and I think its Michael Chaisson should be fired. The streets are in terrible condition. Every neighboring city have cleared streets I don't understand. Maybe the plow drivers should go and take lessons on plowing. They don't go curb to curb. Something needs to be done.
Kmd
11:11 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
He is not qualified to be in charge. Someone got him the job. He should be fired not a good boss. Has no clue, this storm we knew ahead of time and this is how he deals with it. Buck stops at the boss time to be fire if the mayor wants to show she is serious about public safety get rid of chaisson.
Ryan Grannan-Doll
11:25 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
@KMD,
Can you back up your charge that he is not qualified? I suggest you review this link. http://patch.com/A-jspp
Matt Carter
11:35 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Chaison? How about we get rid of the Mayor. That's the reall problem here. Mr Chaison can only do so much but when you have a mayor who makes your staff smaller and buys you no new equipment what do you think would happen. VOTE HER OUT!!
Chris Leary
8:46 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Its not the contract bidding that is the problem. Some city's use "chasers" to make sure the plow routes are being plowed properly. Everything seemed to be going well until Saturday morning and then the city let the contractors punch out (or made them punch out) before the roads were properly treated. It looks like the city of Waltham quit the job early to save $ Public safety should not be put at risk and the city should not look so bad in comparison to neighboring citys that do a better job.
Kmd
11:54 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
Ya come look at my street. That should tell you all. No supervision over the plows. He had three months experience as a director before he came to Waltham. Any job now a days wants 2-3 years experience in the desired field. Clearly he knew someone. He even said in a article that he is "dealing with different things than I was used to". Doesn't seem like a lot of experience, but it is the city, and its about who you know.
Kym
8:00 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Kmd,
You are the one who need glasses!! My eyesight is perfect I see what is going on and everybody else that has left comments so put your glasses on and read all the comments that have been left.!!!!!
Sarah
11:55 pm on Sunday, February 10, 2013
We would like to know what makes it ok for the sidewalk plows to remove snow from one side of the street and dump it on the other side onto private property. And in doing so, ruining the clearing job that we did in front if our house! Also, why do they have "re-do" a sidewalk that has already been cleared by a homeowner????
Kmd
12:09 am on Monday, February 11, 2013
Ya great another unionized employee. Someone for the union and not the resident. Experience is trash pick up, we'll then I guess my trash guy is qualified to be director. The water and sewer doesn't make him qualified for the job that's like saying my plumber is qualified to put my roof on. I will give you someone who should have gotten that job. Stewart lacrosse is more then qualified for it. Good enough Ryan? Go look at the streets and then tell me he's a good director.
Matt Carter
11:40 pm on Monday, February 11, 2013
Yeah. Go blame Chaison. In 2011 it was a different director and we got rid of him and oh look were back in the same spot. Its not the DPW that's the problem its the Mayor. She has no idea how to run a city. Its time to vote her out of office.
Molson
1:42 pm on Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Matt carter the mayor gets her advice from the director. She also puts him in charge of the plowing you can not tell me Chassion has done a good job. Not saying the mayor has done a good job. But you can't take blame off the director. He has a job and he failed to do it.