Walpole Sunday Snow Cleanup Update from TA Boynton

The following is a message from Walpole Town Administrator Michael Boynton:

Good Afternoon,

I have just finished up a "tour" throughout Town and want to provide an update on the storm clean-up status as of now:

1) DPW crews have done an OUTSTANDING job with this storm. Main roads are essentially wet pavement, and most secondary roads are snow-covered but very passable. With the sun today and slightly warmer temperatures, the snow is melting which in turn is causing some slushy conditions, but that to will clear up soon. There is a concern about some re-freeze tonight, however we will address that as warranted.

2) I have received some inquiries regarding road widths. It is very common given the volume of snow that we have received that roads are not at full-width. Crews today have been working to widen streets where possible, however we also must be concerned about "re-filling" every driveway with another five to ten feet of snow. Highway crews will continue to address this issue, however, to be certain that roads are wide enough for Fire Apparatus and Ambulances to navigate should the need arise. 

3) Sidewalks are being plowed in Town today, but the going is very slow. We do recognize that the sidewalk plows do push snow back into driveways, however we are attempting with the snow-blower units to mitigate as much as we can. At this time, the South Walpole and Fisher School areas have been addressed, including Common Street/High School area. It is unlikely that we will get to the East Walpole/OPR area today, however that will resume tomorrow.

4) School parking lots are also being cleared. Johnson, Boyden and Bird have been cleaned at this time. There are two Town loaders working the High School which is roughly at 50% clear. Private contractors are now just starting at Elm Street, and the OPR School is at roughly 25% clear. Town crews are now working on Fisher as well. They will all be plowed by tonight. HOWEVER, there will be some limitations in those lots given the size of snow piles. And, there will likely be several slippery areas in the lots in the morning as not all of the areas will have melted. Our crews will continue to treat the lots with sand & salt to ensure safety.

5) Town Hall, the Library, and the Downtown CBD lots have been cleared today. Again, there is still some level of snow in and around the buildings, but exits have been made clear. We will have Building Maintenance crews in early in the morning to treat the entrances. We will be open for business tomorrow.

6) Building Maintenance Supt. Don Anderson has brought in a Roofing crew for the OPR School Roof to clear some of that excess weight. All other areas have been checked and appear to be in decent shape. Don is with Mike Friscia at this time evaluating the School buildings.

7) To that end, a decision on Schools opening for tomorrow has NOT been made at this time. The School Custodians have also been working hard to clear entrances and walkways. School Administration will consult with DPW Supervisors a little later today to see how progress is advancing on clearing all schools.

8) Rain is forecast for later tomorrow and tomorrow night. This will complicate operations as most catch basins are buried under all the snow. We are going to work on the know problem spots, but full access is not guaranteed. The amount of rain forecast at this time looks to be on the light side, but we will have to address flooding as it occurs.

9) The Vehicle Maintenance team has done a superb job keeping all units operational. Repairs have been heavy, but all snow & ice vehicles & machines are still in service. However, I have an immediate need for several new DPW radios in a handful of vehicles. This is a big safety concern, and I will be directing that the inoperable units either be repaired or replaced within the week. 

10) I will also be regrouping with DPW & Public Safety department heads in the coming days to debrief on storm response and operations, specifically to address certain capital needs, such as added four-wheel drive capabilities in the Police Department and Emergency Management. The severity of some of our weather events over the past few years is starting to dictate that we re-examine all our response & equipment capabilities to ensure that we have appropriate & sufficient resources for safety.

11) We are watching the forecast for the end of the week. As much as no one wants to hear this, there is the possibility of more snow late week or next weekend. Clearly this will cause major issues as there is just no place to put the snow. We will watch the weather reports as the week progresses and act accordingly.

12) As a reminder, the Downtown & East Walpole CBD snow removal operation will take place overnight Monday into Tuesday. (see below).

13) Once again, I want all to know incredibly proud I am of all of our employees who have done an amazing job dealing with this mega snowstorm. I have seen the product in other communities, and our crews have excelled. We have a great Team here, and their teamwork is very evident in getting this massive job done well.