Snow & Ice

Did you know?

• The Hudson DPW plows over 90 miles of roadway for each winter storm
• The Hudson DPW employs 51 staff members
• 8 trucks are used for primary treatment with either salt or a sand/salt mix. During plowing operations, 19 town trucks, 3 town loaders and 9 private trucks are used for the clearing of streets, parking lots, public buildings and schools.
• Four sidewalk tractors plow approximately 20 miles of sidewalk after each snow storm
• In FY’17, approximately 4,500 gallons of liquid calcium and 4,624 tons of salt were used for winter operations.

FAQ’s

How come snow keeps getting deposited into my driveway?

• It is impossible when plowing the streets not to push snow into open driveways. Please understand the Town cannot remove windrows from driveways that are left by the snowplow, nor can the Town crews plow private property. Please wait until snow plowing operations are complete to clear your driveway.

Why do you wait to plow the snow off the streets?

• An important step in dealing with snowfall is street sanding and salting. Once the decision is made that a sanding operation should begin, a team of eight sanders will begin to canvass the town in their assigned routes. The sanding operation will continue until it is decided that all roads have been covered and that it is no longer necessary, or that the plowing operation should begin.

Why is my street always the last to be plowed?

• The town is divided into four plowing sections each with an individual supervisor. Routes are divided up into sections—priority (the main, arterial roads), secondary, and residential streets. The approximately 26 pieces of town equipment and 10 pieces of equipment from private contractors are each dispatched to assigned routes for the plowing operation. The top priority is to keep open the main roads. The plows will then open up all streets and continue in this pattern until the storm abates. Once the storm subsides, the plows will begin to push back the snow to the curb line and clear intersections. A sidewalk crew will also begin to clean sidewalks in the downtown area. All crews will remain around the clock if necessary to keep the roads open and passable. Please be patient.

Stay ahead of the drift

BE PREPARED:

• Stock up on non perishable food and water supplies after the Thanksgiving Holiday;
• Check batteries expiration dates, replacing expired batteries will help in the event of a power outage;
• Replenish your supply of ice melt or rock salt to lessen the chance of slipping and falling

STAY TUNED

• Listen for weather updates and school closings on your local news station.

SNOW REMOVAL & SAFE PLACEMENT

• Snow plows primarily approach your residence from the left to right. Residential removal and placement of snow during a winter storm is best to the RIGHT side of your driveway if you’re facing the street, or the LEFT side of your driveway if you’re facing your home from the street.

Winter Parking Ban

Per Town By-Law, there is no parking on town streets from November 15 through April 1 between the hours of 12:00 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. All night parking is prohibited in the Municipal Parking Lots on South Street between the hours of 2:00 A.M. and 7:00 A.M. commencing November 15 to April 1 except those areas designated and posted as permitting overnight parking until 7:00 A.M.

Vehicles parked illegally or abandoned on roads are subject to towing at the owner's expense as well as a $10.00 ticket by the police. Please remove your car from the street or Municipal Parking Lot as soon as you are aware of a snow alert.

Snow must be pushed back to the curb to allow for adequate travel lanes. This can only be accomplished when no vehicles are parked on the street during storms. This allows plows to clear the area the first time through without having to return to clean it up later.

Plow Damage

Most mail box damage is not caused by a direct hit from a plow, but rather by heavy snow being pushed onto the mailbox. This is unavoidable, however, if your mailbox is damaged by a Town plow,  you do have potential recourse for reimbursement through the Town. 

To report damage to personal property that you believe may have been caused by a Town plow, please go to the Town Clerk’s Office to file a claim. Winter related damage claims must be reported by May 1st in order to receive consideration for compensation.