WAKEFIELD — A historic 10 days of winter storms have dropped 54 inches of snow on Wakefield, frustrating residents who have to work or get their kids to school, tiring those who have to shovel, snowblow or plow, and completely busting the town’s annual allotment of $650,000 for removing snow and ice.
Yesterday’s 16 inch snow storm was the latest to cancel school for two days, like last week’s 29 inch blizzard did. In 10 days (going back to Saturday, January 24), DPW snow removal crews and the dozens of private contractors who work for the town have been out on full plowing operations five times. When interviewed back on January 9, Stinson said crews had only been out five times between then and Thanksgiving.
According to DPW Director Richard Stinson, Wakefield has averaged 62 inches of snow for the last five winters.
“In 10 days,” Stinson said, “we’ve basically received a whole winter’s worth of snow.”
Crews began reporting to work yesterday around 2 a.m. and were plowing by 4 a.m., joined around 5 a.m. by the squadron of private contractors. Plows were out until about midnight, Stinson explained.
“There’s no going on melting at all. There’s a lot of snow out there,” Stinson added. Today and tonight, crews planned to scrape and salt streets, widen roads, plow sidewalks, cut down corner snowbanks and move snow to make driving around Wakefield a little easier. Stinson said the DPW would clear the Square at some point near the end of the week, depending on what happens during another storm coming in on Thursday.
The long range forecast from the weather service Stinson uses calls for four storms coming in the next 10 days, including possible ones next Monday and a week from Thursday.
During an average winter, the DPW requests $1,138,980 to remove snow and ice, which includes the $650,000 it gets annually in the snow and ice budget.
Stinson confided this morning that he is already working on an overdraft of the snow and ice budget and based on estimates he knows the original amount has already been spent.
Stinson urged residents to help by shoveling out hydrants and catch basins, and to use special care and low speeds when driving near street corners.
He also thanked all those involved with removing snow from town streets saying, “They have all done an amazing job.”
Yesterday’s storm has caused Boston Mayor Martin Walsh to defend his decision to hold a parade for the New England Patriots on Wednesday even though the city is still in process of removing mountains of snow and the MBTA is experiencing weather-related service problems.
Walsh said Tuesday that many people have suggested delaying the parade until Saturday. He says that’s not feasible because by the weekend the players will have scattered.
The Patriots beat the Seattle Seahawks 28-24 in Sunday’s Super Bowl.
The mayor also asked fans attending the parade not to perch on snowbanks because of the dangers involved, and to dress appropriately for temperatures expected to be below freezing.
He also announced that city schools are expected to reopen Wednesday and the city is close to “shattering” its $18 million snow removal budget.
— Bob Burgess and the Associated Press contributed to this report.
