How the DPW prepares for storms

With one major storm in the rearview mirror and plenty of time for another this winter, residents may be wondering how the Department of Public Works prepares for weather emergencies.

The early stages of preparation are certainly unsurprising: the DPW, much like everyone else, closely monitors the forecast.

“We obviously watch the forecast and try to understand what and when it’s coming at us … and what time to call in the crew,” said Deputy Director of Operations Jacquelyn Jackson. “It’s hard because it always does change, so we try to pinpoint that as close as we can. We don’t want to be too early and we don’t want to be too late, either.”

Once the department has the best possible estimate, it’s time to assemble the equipment and manpower needed to clear the 102 miles of roads and 10 miles of sidewalk under the DPW’s purview. The Massachusetts Department of Transportation handles state routes, including Route 20.

The department’s “black road policy,” according to its webpage, is to have a bare road surface on all main streets and arterial collectors – roads that connect to main streets – within four hours after a storm has ended. Residential side streets and cul-de-sacs are cleaned to ensure a safe road.

Weston’s bylaws do not require residents to clear common areas, but they request folks follow a “Good Neighbor policy”: clearing catch basins of snow or ice and shoveling out nearby fire hydrants.

Each storm requires a different response, and Jackson said the recent monster storm that dumped more than 20 inches on Weston required 60 pieces of equipment due to the sheer amount of snow that fell over the course of two days.

“It was quite a big operation,” she said. “We had some bigger equipment out there to push back [the snow] … and make sure the roads are wide enough for police and fire, first and foremost.”

All told, the DPW worked for 38.5 hours from pre-treating the roads with salt to the final clearing of snow.

“It’s a marathon. You’ve just got to pace yourself and understand it’s not an eight-hour day and you’re going to go home,” Jackson said. “You’ve got to go slow and take your time; it’s really difficult at night when it’s dark and everything is white.”

Patience is key for residents. With so many miles of road, a ton of snow and dangerous conditions, Jackson said it can take some time for crews to clear every corner of Weston.

“We have regular issues, like equipment breaks … A route might not look as good as others; we have to play catch up,” she said. “It’s kind of like playing chess – you have to move the pieces around a little bit.”

As residents and business owners clear their properties, Jackson urges them to consider where they place that snow. If snow is placed back into the road by shoveling residents or private contractors, it makes more work for the town’s plows.

While the region avoided another major storm last weekend, the DPW has plans in place to move the snow on the ground if more were to get dumped.

“From the last storm, because it was a lot of snow, we’re trying to push back the intersections to make sure everyone can see going around corners,” Jackson said. “So we have room for whatever’s coming up.”