PRESS RELEASE

Winter Weather Snow Plowing Advisory

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: January 30, 2026 – As our area is faced with the potential for another winter storm, community members are advised to prepare themselves now. Although the Town’s Department of Public Works plows all public ways within the Town, this is a difficult task that takes many hours to complete, even in minor storms. Before, during, and after plowable snow events, the Department of Public Works maintains all public roads to make them as safe as possible. However, with limited resources, 37 miles of roads to clear, and the need to maintain all municipal parking lots, cemeteries, and school properties, residents should expect that it will not be safe to travel until several hours after the storm ends. 

To complete this task as efficiently as possible, the Department prioritizes based on public safety; their primary goal is to ensure that police, fire, and medical emergency equipment can move safely on Town streets. To accomplish this goal, the Department prioritizes main roads, the most used secondary roads, and bus routes. Residential streets owned by the Town will also be cleared, but only after the top priority roads are made safe. 

Residents are warned that the Town does NOT plow private roads. 

Massachusetts Law prohibits the use of public resources to plow and maintain private roads unless the voters of the Town vote to do so through a ballot question initiated by citizen petition. Therefore, homeowners on private roads are encouraged to conduct their own snow removal or seek snow removal services from private contractors before, during, and after snow events as needed to ensure access to and from their property. If homeowners fail to keep their private road clear, public safety officials may have difficulty reaching your home in an emergency. If you do not know if your road is public or private, you may check here. 

As always, our public safety staff will make every effort to provide assistance to community members in the event of an emergency. You can do your part by preparing yourself and your property for upcoming weather events. Please clear a path to your door so that personnel can reach you in an emergency, clear an area around fire hydrants, and ensure that vehicles and other obstructions are removed from streets. If possible, avoid traveling on Town streets during snow removal operations. If you need to travel, please drive slowly.  

Elders of Special Concern 

As a reminder, please check-in on and assist your elderly neighbors and family members and persons with disabilities. Elders of special concern are encouraged to register with the Council on Aging so that public safety staff can be aware of the needs of our most vulnerable residents and so that our Council on Aging staff can provide specialized notifications and assistance to help elders of special concern prepare themselves for emergencies. You may register as an elder of special concern at 508-413-9508. Please be advised that the Town does not plow private roads or driveways, even for registered elders of special concern. 

Thank you for your attention to this matter. Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.