Massachusetts Gov. Charlie Baker’s Valentine’s Day plans are about to be buried in snow, as the region gears up for a blizzard that could dump up to 14 inches in some areas.
Baker had dubbed the week of Feb. 14-21 “Valentine’s Day Week” in an effort to encourage consumers to go out shopping and to dine at local restaurants after more than 70 inches of snow blanketed the region over the past four weeks. Instead of shopping and dining, residents are preparing for more shoveling.
running of a car on icy road by mananaslam4009
Boston Mayor Marty Walsh declared a parking ban throughout the city starting at 10 p.m. Saturday, and the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority announced it will suspend subway, trolley, and commuter rail services all day on Sunday.
The National Weather Service also issued a blizzard warning in Eastern Massachusetts from 4:34 p.m. Saturday until 7 a.m. Monday.
This is the region’s fourth major snowstorm since early January, including an 18-day period that accounted for 72.5 inches of snow, according toWeather.com. Along with a parking ban, Walsh is advising all residents to stay inside if possible, Bonnie McGilpin, the mayor’s press secretary said. The city has deployed 300 pieces of equipment to salt the roads before the storm.
Massachusetts has received extra equipment to help battle the storm from Maine, Vermont, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania, Elizabeth Guyton, the governor’s press secretary, said. Baker also is using 600 National Guard soldiers, who were on state active duty. The soldiers have helped with heavy equipment and snow shoveling operations, as well as rescues and evacuations. The soldiers also have helped the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority clear snow to enable public transportation access leading up to the storm, Guyton said
Although Walsh has said he won’t rule out dumping some of the accumulated snow into the Boston Harbor at some point this winter, the city still has space in its 10 snow farms across Boston, McGilpin said. Despite all of the snow the city has gotten so far, the farms were only at about 40 percent capacity before the storm.
“Right now we are confident we have enough room,” McGilpin said.
In surrounding communities, such as Cambridge, and Newton, local public works departments are struggling to keep up with all of the snowfall.
