City reminds residents: property owners are still responsible for clearing snow from their sidewalks
Syracuse, N.Y. – Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh announced plans for municipal snow removal on approximately 100 miles of city sidewalks this winter. The proposal, which more than doubles the size of the Supplemental Sidewalk Snow Removal Program, was authorized by the Syracuse Common Council at its Dec. 6 regular meeting.
A part of the City’s new municipal sidewalk maintenance program, the expansion builds on the initial sidewalk snow clearance program launched in the winters of 2019 and 2020. Implementation of the program was temporarily suspended in 2021 due to COVID-19 spending reductions. The expanded areas include extensions to previous routes and new routes like North Salina Street on the Northside, Salt Springs Road on the Eastside, Midland Avenue on the Southside, and West Fayette Street on the Westside.
Click on the following link for a detailed map Supplemental Sidewalk Snow Removal Program 2021-2022
Partnering with the Syracuse Metropolitan Transportation Council, the City uses a data-driven framework to identify the sidewalks most in need of clearance after a snow event. Traffic flow and pedestrian activity are analyzed together with heavily-trafficked roads and locations that are active for pedestrians, like schools, stores, and neighborhood amenities. The findings inform a connected network of sidewalks that will be cleared following a snow event of three inches or more, allowing for better mobility of pedestrians all around the city.
“We embrace winter here in Syracuse, so the City needs to help residents safely and easily travel throughout the community when there is a significant snowfall,” said Mayor Walsh. “We are always monitoring and adapting our snow operations to provide the most effective, efficient, and equitable service to our constituents. We can make winter more manageable and enjoyable if we all understand our respective roles and responsibilities during and after a snow event.”
Mayor Walsh reminded city residents that sidewalk snow removal is still the responsibility of property owners and that this program is only supplemental. Even residents living on streets covered by this supplemental program are responsible for clearing their sidewalks of snow and ice if City contractors are not able to by 6pm the following day of a significant snowfall. According to the city ordinance, residents should not shovel, sweep, throw, plow, or otherwise deposit snow or ice into the street, sidewalk, or park located within the city.
