FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 12/01/2025
For further information, contact:
Susan Scully Petroni
City of Framingham Public Information Officer
spetroni@framinghamma.gov
508-782-8629
Framingham DPW Prepares for First Plowable Storm of the Season
FRAMINGHAM - The City of Framingham Department of Public Works (DPW) is preparing for the first plowable storm of the 2025-2026 winter season, forecasted to begin Tuesday morning, December 2. The National Weather Service has already issued a winter storm watch.
Most of the plows were put onto equipment last Friday, said the DPW Director.
“This morning, we did some sander training with some of our newer employees who have never been in a sander before. They’ve done plowing, but sanding is new to them,” said DPW Director Lewis.
“This afternoon, we went through training with some of the newer folks who have never plowed before. We brought on a few younger employees over the summer and since the last snowstorm, so we wanted to get them up to speed.”
“We’re going through a little training exercise with them, showing them how operations work, getting them involved, showing them how to hook up the plow, and just talking through the process,” said DPW Director Lewis. “A lot of this is on-the-job training. We want them to see how it all comes together and get comfortable with the equipment.”
For Tuesday’s forecasted storm, preliminary snowflakes are expected around 7 a.m.
To get ahead of the storm, the salt shift will begin at 4 a.m., approximately three hours prior to the first flakes, said Director Lewis.
Crews will pre-treat all routes with 200 pounds of salt per lane mile to prevent ice formation and ensure safer roads for the morning commute, said Lewis.
“This helps keep roads bare and turns snowfall into a manageable, slushy mix,” said Lewis.
After the storm ends, crews will continue clearing operations for up to 8 hours to “mop up remaining snow and ice,” said Lewis.
About 80 pieces of City-owned DPW equipment will be deployed, and if needed, supported by 34 independent contractors.
Framingham DPW maintains about 286 miles of road and prioritizes main roads, hills, schools, and then secondary streets.
Sidewalk maintenance focuses on approximately 90 miles of school walking routes, as well as commercial areas such as downtown.
Residents are urged to stay off the roads during the storm and allow plows to operate safely, said Director Lewis
“Don’t crowd the plow if you are on the roads, and work remotely if you can,” said Lewis.
Framingham residents are reminded to park on the odd side of the roads, as it is an odd year. There will be no parking ban issued for this first storm.
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