Monday Message From Walpole TA Boynton on Storm Cleanup

The following is a message from Walpole Town Administrator Micheal Boynton.

Good Evening,

As clean-up continues from Nemo, I wanted to provide you with what will likely be the last update for this storm:

1) Schools WILL open tomorrow. 

2) School lots have been cleared, and crews will treat any icing conditions in the morning. We will also review the sight-lines at each of the School driveways tonight and tomorrow to make improvements where required. One such area is at the High School exit.

3) Sidewalks continue to be plowed. We have not fully cleared all of them, but crews will be back in after 10PM tonight to resume the work. There are several still in the OPR area that we will be working on. One of our machines went down which has caused some delay in the process. One other note, it will be some time before each sidewalk is at "bare" asphalt or concrete. The Bombardier that we use with the V-Plow and tracks is designed to open the sidewalks from heavy snow, such as what we received this weekend. As mentioned, we are using the snow-blower units to follow-up the Bombardier, but that is a very slow process. We will continue to work on these all week.

4) With today's rain and minimal melting, many streets that were/are snow covered are turning to slush. We have had crews out all day today and will continue throughout the next several days to clean up as much as possible. We also are attempting to widen roads where possible and address snow bank concerns.

5) As mentioned, crews will be in tonight for CBD snow removal.

6) Flooding today has been relatively minor, with a few calls for service received. Crews were responding to address those and our know trouble spots such as West Street, Common Street, School Street, etc. We will continue to open catch basins as the removal efforts move forward.

7) The overwhelming response from the community regarding the snow plowing & removal efforts has been very positive, and we are appreciative! It is understood, however, that some frustration is expected as folks deal with the impacts of this major storm. Roads are not perfect, and some are still very tight due to a variety of conditions, the most common of which is a limited space to push two-feet of snow. Residents can be assured that we are going to continue cleaning and clearing to the greatest degree possible, and our DPW crews are committed to that service delivery mission.

8) We are watching the extended forecast......and crossing our fingers!

Have a good night, and please do not hesitate to call on me if I can be of assistance.