Snow Policies
Medford Snow Emergency Info
- Medford Snow Emergency Information
- General Parking Information
- Parking Regulations – Arteries
- Parking Regulations – Exemptions
Medford Snow Emergency Information
If you are a resident on a main artery and had parked on a permit-only secondary street, please make sure to move your car after 3p.m.
When parking, especially on narrow side streets, please make sure to park as close to the curb as possible, and make sure that there is enough access on the street for emergency vehicles. If emergency vehicles are not able to access the street, your vehicle may be subject to ticketing and towing.
Please remember that, under City ordinance, property owners are required to shovel all sidewalks abutting your property within 6 daylight hours after the end of a storm. Snow cannot be shoveled into the street.
A Snow Emergency may be declared at the City’s discretion, generally when four or more inches of snow is predicted. City staff will monitor all available forecasts and information prior to declaring a Snow Emergency. If a Snow Emergency is declared, the City will announce this in several ways, including:
- Sending citywide Reverse911 phone calls, emails, and text messages. (Sign up for Alerts at www.medfordma.org/alerts)
- Posting information to the homepage of the City’s website
- Communicating through local media
- Posting on the City’s social media feeds.
General Parking Information
General Parking Information
During DECLARED SNOW EMERGENCIES, the City’s parking regulations are as follows:
- “Winter” is defined as the entire winter season, from November through March or April.
- There shall be no parking on any Emergency Artery throughout the declared snow emergency. (See below regulations)
- Winter parking restrictions on all other roadways will be in effect throughout the declared snow emergency.
- All violators will be subject to being ticket and towed.
- Permit Parking restrictions shall NOT be enforced throughout the declared snow emergency.
- If the winter begins in an odd year (for example, November 2021), cars may only park on the ODD side of the street unless there is an exemption. See below for exempted streets.
- If the winter begins in an even year (for example, November 2022), cars may only park on the EVEN side of the street unless there is an exemption.
- You may park in a city lot during snow emergencies, but your car must be moved by 7 a.m. the morning after the storm.
- Make sure your car is not blocking access for emergency vehicles or snow removal vehicles; emergency vehicles and snow removal vehicles need a minimum of 12 feet. Vehicles blocking access to emergency response will be subject to towing and a fine.
- Park your car at least 20 feet from the street corner so plows can push snow away from the crosswalks. Vehicles parking to close to an intersection will be subject to towing and a fine.
- Under City Ordinance, residents who have driveways, garages, or other off-street parking facility may not park on the street for a period of time longer than one hour between 12 a.m. to 7 a.m. and could face a fine.
- Any motor vehicle parked on a public way for a period of 48 consecutive hours without being moved is subject to towing and a fine.
Parking Regulations – Arteries
During DECLARED SNOW EMERGENCIES, there is NO PARKING on designated Emergency Arteries (see below). Please read posted signage and avoid parking in these areas. Cars on these streets during snow emergencies will be towed. The following streets are designated as Emergency Arteries:
- Boston Avenue
- Central Avenue
- College Avenue from George Street to Boston Avenue
- Forest Street
- Fulton Street
- George Street
- Governors Avenue
- Grove Street
- Hadley Place
- Hancock Street
- Harvard Avenue
- Harvard Street
- High Street
- Lawrence Road
- Main Street
- Medford Street
- Mystic Avenue from Main Street to Crescent Street
- Playstead Road
- Riverside Avenue
- Salem Street
- Spring Street
- Washington Street
- Webster Street
- Willis Avenue
- Winthrop Street
- Woburn Street
The following streets are STATE ROADS. The City of Medford does not enforce parking on these streets. Please visit the DCR website, here, for the state’s snow emergency parking regulations.
- Fellsway
- Fellsway West
- Route 16 / Mystic Valley Parkway
- Elm St.
- Highland Ave
- South Border Road
- East Border Road
- Woodland Road
- Mystic River Road
Parking Regulations – Exemptions
Parking Regulations – Exemptions
During DECLARED SNOW EMERGENCIES, cars may park ONLY on the EVEN side of the street on secondary roads (because this winter began in an even year – 2022), unless your street was granted an exemption by the Traffic Commission (see below). Cars parked on the odd side during snow emergencies will be towed. on these streets during snow emergencies will be towed. Exempted streets are
- Alexander Ave: #117 thru #145 odd side parking every year
- Auburn St: High St. to Prescott St., park on residence side
- Bennett St: odd side parking every year
- Bennett Pl: odd side parking every year
- Bow St: #14 thru #52 even side parking every year
- Brooks Park: parking on residence side only
- Gaston St: odd side parking every year
- Hillsdale Rd: Osgood to Somerville line – odd side parking every year
- Lookout Rd: even side parking every year
- Maple Ave: odd side parking every year
- Metcalf St: even side parking every year
- Newburn Ave: #74 thru #86 even side parking every year
- Second St: Bradbury to Middlesex – parking on residence side every year
- Third St: Bradbury to Middlesex – parking on park side every year
- Touro Ave: odd side parking every year
- Wellesley St: Main to Dartmouth – even side parking every year.
TOW COMPANY INFORMATION
Export Tow – 50 Mystic Avenue, Medford. 781-395-0808
Stephen’s Automotive Transport – 60 Union Street, Medford. 781-396-8697
Generally, cars located and towed east of Medford Street, east of Main Street, east of Forest Street to the Malden/Somerville line will be towed by Export Tow. Cars located and towed west of Medford Street and Main Street, west of Forest Street to the Somerville/Winchester/Arlington lines will be towed by Stephen’s Automotive Transport.
PARKING AND TOW COMPLAINTS
We thank everyone for their expected cooperation during a snow emergency. The authority to issue citations and the authority to tow a motor vehicle lies solely with the Medford Police Department.
If you have a complaint related to a citation or a tow please contact the Medford Police Department Traffic Division at traffic@medfordpolice.com.
We ask that you please refrain from complaining or arguing with the Tow Company employees, the City of Medford Parking Department or the Mayor’s Office and staff. These entities have no control over who is issued citations or which vehicles are towed.
OTHER PERTINENT LAWS
Any motor vehicle parked on a public way for a period of 48 consecutive hours without being moved is subject to towing and a fine. Please do not leave your vehicle snow bound.
ALSO, no public parking spaces may be reserved or saved. Saving a parking space is a sensitive subject in many neighborhoods. Officially, no objects can be placed on a City street to reserve a parking spot. The Medford Police Department suggests the public exercise due restraint, fairness and common sense over disputed PUBLIC parking spaces. During snow emergencies, we will not have the resources to remove items from the street so we please ask you all to comply with the ordinance.
- Shoveling Regulations
- Please don’t take it personally!
- Friendly Recommendations
- Snow Melt Suggestions
Shoveling Regulations
Shoveling Regulations
It is the residents’ responsibility to:
● Clear sidewalks within 8 hours of daylight after snowfall.
● Keep the sidewalks clear of snow and ice to a minimum passage of 36 inches and treat the sidewalk with calcium chloride pellets or other suitable material to prevent ice build-up.
● Clear within 36 inches of fire hydrants within or abutting the sidewalk that abuts the owner’s property
● NOT shovel or throw snow or ice into the street
Failing to comply with this snow removal ordinance is a fineable offense. You will be fined $50 for the first offense, $100 for the second offense, and $200 for the third and subsequent offense. Upon the third offense within a five-year period, the DPW Commissioner may choose to remove the snow and ice and charge the property owner for the cost of removal. The city may place a lien against the property owner for the expense incurred.
To report a sidewalk, please call the Building Department at either of the following numbers: 781-393-2507 and 781-393-2510
Additionally, we ask the public’s assistance with the following:
- Clear openings at corners, crosswalks and curb cuts so pedestrians can cross safely.
- Dig out fire hydrants and catch basins.
Please don’t take it personally!
The Medford DPW will plow and/or treat roads during any snow event. While we do our absolute best to avoid plowing extra snow onto sidewalks and driveways in this process, sometimes it is unavoidable as we work to keep streets passable during all stages of a storm.
Whether the snow is form Mother Nature, or from a plow or other source, it is still the responsibility of the resident to clear the area. Don’t throw snow from your sidewalks into the street− this is against the law ($50 fine 1st time, $100 fine 2nd time).
Friendly Recommendations
For people on foot, with strollers and in wheelchairs, ice can be worse than snow. It can cause dangerous falls. You are as responsible for ice on your sidewalks as you are for snow. You must address or treat it within 6 hours.
- Stock up on ice melter before a storm. Make sure to sprinkle some down before the storm comes.
- Use ice melter on your driveway entrance and sidewalks early and often to prevent snow from packing down and forming into ice.
- Make sure to wipe your feet after applying it so you don’t track it into your house.
Snow Melt Suggestions
- Use ice melter with calcium chloride (CaCl2). It’s better for the environment and only a small amount is required to melt ice. Potassium chloride (KCl) is okay but be aware it can damage concrete.
- Use biodegradable cat litter as another good option.
- If using rock salt (NaCl or sodium chloride), use care and follow instructions on the packaging as it is not appropriate in some sensitive areas.
2022-2023 Available Snow Shovelers
The list is provided for information only. The City of Medford is not liable for any related damages.
The Medford DPW will plow and/or treat roads during any snow event. If a significant amount of snow is forecasted (typically 4+ inches), a snow emergency may be called and parking restrictions will go into place to allow plows to access the street and ensure passage for emergency vehicles.