East Hartford Winter Weather Advisory
East Hartford, CT— A major snow storm is forecasted to impact the area starting Wednesday night, December 16, 2020 and through Thursday, December 17, 2020. Residents should expect total snow accumulations of twelve to sixteen inches with low temperatures.
- Please be advised, the parking ban will be in effect starting on Wednesday, December 16 at noon and until further notice. If there are any questions regarding the parking ban, please call the East Hartford Police Department at (860) 528-4401. Please abide by the parking ban and give way to all plows and emergency vehicles.
- Considering the severity of the storm, please know that curbside trash and recycling pickup will be delayed by one day for the remainder of the week starting on Thursday, December 17. All residents on the Thursday route will be collected on Friday, and all residents on the Friday route will be collected on Saturday.
During the storm, public works crews will work efficiently to clear all roads, beginning with major arteries and connecting roads before clearing less traveled neighborhood roads. COVID impacts on winter operations are to be expected. While proper social distancing and safety protocols have helped limit departmental exposure so far, the Public Works Department is not immune to the negative effects of the virus. Residents could expect that road clearing may take longer than normal due to staffing, social distancing and safety protocols.
Please note: it can take up to eight (8) hours after the snow stops to clear all roads in East Hartford. During the storm, emergency services will have access to all areas of town and will be in communication with town plows in case of emergency. The Town’s first priority during a snow storm is providing emergency access. Generally, a single pass is made down the center of the road to provide access to emergency vehicles. After all, 300+ miles of roadway in town are given an initial pass, additional plowing will clear every road from curb to curb. Please, remember, that the Public Works Department is not responsible for clearing off private and state-owned roads. State-owned roads such as Burnside Ave, Main Street, Connecticut Blvd, and Silver Lane are plowed by the State Department of Transportation. Private roads are not maintained or plowed by the Town.
Snow cast onto sidewalks and onto driveways is an unfortunate by-product of a very necessary service we provide. When we plow a street we are simply moving the snow that is in the street off to the side of the street. The greater the amount of snow, the more snow that is deposited on the side. A normal cast from the plow is up to eight feet. Sidewalks and driveways are located in the cast zone. Residents should expect that this will occur and adjust their snow clearing efforts accordingly by either waiting for the storm to end or by making multiple snow-clearing passes. Please remember that shoveling, plowing, blowing or pushing any snow into the roadway is not permitted.
All residents who own property in East Hartford that is adjacent to a sidewalk are responsible for clearing those sidewalks of snow, ice, sleet or debris within 8 hours after sunrise during snowfall or inclement weather. It is imperative that we keep sidewalks clear so that residents, pedestrians and students are not forced to walk in the street.
Please remember, as of last winter, sand and salt are no longer available at the Transfer Station for environmental reasons. The Department of Public Works encourages residents to use environmentally friendly salt substitute products readily available at local home improvement and hardware stores. For details, click here.
Please note, process for mailbox damage reimbursement has been amended. In the event a mailbox or post are physically struck by a Town of East Hartford Public Works snowplow, the Town will reimburse the owner $50.00 for the post and/or $25.00 for the mailbox. No additional cost incurred by the owner, including labor, will be reimbursed. Reimbursement will not occur for damages caused by entities other than the Town of East Hartford. Residents can report curbing and mailbox damage through My East Hartford platform.
For additional information on East Hartford's winter weather preparedness and response, please visit www.easthartfordct.gov/public-works/pages/winter-weather-preparedness.