Tuesday, February 12, 2013
Keeping each road passable is the chief goal in the midst of a storm, but now crews are busy trying to clean up intersections, sight lines and sidewalks.
The Blizzard of 2013 ended three days ago, but the crews of the Wayland Department of Public Works remain hard at work. Joe Doucette, senior foreman for the DPW, said he was incredibly proud of the workers, many of which are relatively new employees. "It was quite an undertaking," Doucette said. "I'm very proud of the staff. Our equipment took a beating. It was a challenge. I think we did very well considering what we have. We have a lot of new employees, rookie people we've hired in the past year. For a lot of them this was the first major snow storm. They did great job." Doucette said that during the height of the storm and in its immediate aftermath, the goal is simply to keep the roads passable. "Keep the roads passable and open -- …
Sunday, February 10, 2013
On a beautiful Sunday afternoon, there's no excuse to not clear your nearest fire hydrant.
Wayland Fire Capt. Bob Dorey is asking folks to do a minor chore when they're out enjoying the snow in Wayland: Clear the nearest fire hydrant. "I'm trying to encourage people on a slow day, especially on the main roads, to clean off their nearest hydrants," said Dorey. He said he'd seen a number of reflective lights around town marking the hydrants, but the hydrants themselves remained buried in snow drifts. "Enjoy this beautiful day and get a little exercise and shovel out your fire hydrants," Dorey said, explaining that the extra time the fire department would have to take to clear the hydrant could mean critical minutes lost in an emergency. "The worst things is you burn a couple of calories," Dorey said. "And we hope we don't have to …
With rain and ice in Monday's forecast, it's important to get some of that heavy snow off the roofs.
Now that you've begun to dig your cars and driveways out, it's time to also consider your roof. Monday's forecast is calling for some rain and ice and snow, which could add substantial weight to already snow-laden roofs. Earlier this morning, Patch received the following reader question: "Can you provide any names of roofers who would help clear roof off of houses? Does anyone have a list?" So we posed the question on our Facebook page and here are the results to far. - Joey Levin reports "BJs has plenty of 21-foot snow rakes." - Margret Krakauer added, "I know that Lynch Landscaping clears roofs. They were efficient and competitive in price. They did work fast, though and the heavy snow damaged a lace-leaf maple. If you use them or anyone…
A quick stop by the Wayland Highway Department Garage on Saturday afternoon found tired, but resilient crew members.
Wayland's Department of Public Works crews hit the roads at about 3:30 p.m. Friday. At 4 p.m., Saturday, Wayland Parks Superintendent Mike Lindeman had made it back to the parking lot of the Wayland Highway Department garage and had a moment to reflect on the past 24 hours. "Worst one I've ever seen," Lindeman said as he helped other crew members dig their own cars out. The nearby crew members agreed. "You couldn't see your hand in front of your face," Lindeman said. Even so, Lindeman said, the whole experience had gone as well as could be expected. He said there were a few cars abandoned in the roads when people left work "later than the should have," and couldn't make it into their driveways. "Overall, it went ok." Wayland's roads …
Light, fluffy snow on rooftops can act as a sponge for rain, which is in the forecast for Monday. The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency offers these tips.
With rain in Wayland's forecast for Monday, the Blizzard of '13 may not be finished wreaking havoc in Massachusetts. While temperatures dropped overnight on Friday resulting in light, fluffy snow, he Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) warns that fluffy snow piled high on roofs can act as a sponge, absorbing rain and adding additional stress to structures. Relatively flat roofs are particularly vulnerable, MEMA says. In other cases, roof ice dams have formed causing water build-up, leading to interior damage. These conditions can accelerate the snowmelt. To minimize the risk of over-stressing a building roof due to accumulated or drifting snow: Information from a release by the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) …
Saturday, February 9, 2013
The Saturday suspension of mail delivery debate applies to today: but not because of USPS budget problems!
You may be wondering if there'll be any new mail in your mailbox today (that is, if you can even make it to your mailbox with all this snow.) The answer is that mail service in all of New England — not just Massachusetts — has been suspended, according to the Huffington Post. The ban extends throughout all six New England states. The unusual decision was made due to safety concerns, according to Postal Service spokeswoman Christine Dugas. The decision came after over two feet of snow falling throughout much of New England made many roads impassable, she said. Dugas reminded people to clear around their mailboxes or paths to their homes by Monday, when mail delivery will resume.
Wayland Highway Director Stephen Kadlik said his crews are working non-stop but facing some major obstacles.
Wayland Highway Director Stephen Kadlik said his crews have been working non-stop throughout the Blizzard of 2013 ... and it's taking its toll on the equipment and the drivers. "It's not good," Kadlik said. "We got a lot of snow. We're trying to do our best with the major secondaries. Side roads are single lane at best." Kadlik said there are 42 drivers out on Wayland's roads, but the strength and length of the storm is a major concern. "We've gone through probably 100 windshield wiper blades," Kadlik said. The diesel fuel is running short, he added. Wayland doesn't have it's own fuel station and the nearby stations Wayland uses are out of fuel, Kadlik said. "For quite a while we were getting the 2 to 3 inches an hour," Kadlik said, adding…
Take a photo of the snow falling out your window right now - office, home, classroom, whatever - and upload it to Wayland Patch!
As the forecasted snow storm continues to move through the Wayland area today, we're asking readers to submit their best photos of the snow outside their windows! Snap a photo out the window or door of your home, office, classroom, whatever and upload it by clicking the big button above this text. Cell phone cameras work just fine, too. And if you're an Instagram user, upload your best photos with the app as well! Be sure to get your up-to-the-minute storm coverage with the Wayland Patch Storm Center. NOTE: Only photos uploaded to the site will be featured; please do not email photos.
Check here for updates from Patch, public safety personnel and residents as Massachusetts rides out the Blizzard of 2013.
Thanks to the Blizzard of 2013, Wayland is expecting up to 38 inches of snow this weekend! See how many inches have fallen in your area with the LIVE map below.
The map above, provided by the National Weather Service, shows snowfall in the past 24 hours. It is updated every 6 hours. This is not a map showing overall snow depth: It only tracks the amount of snow that has fallen in the past day. The map is centered around the red marker, which is in the middle of Wayland Patch's coverage area.
Ted Ridout
7:06 am on Tuesday, February 19, 2013
I think Wayland did an extraordinary job in the cleanup of the storm. We tend to see only our own street and concerns, but the task is so large. It's helpful to hear of the damaged sidewalk equipment, as the Concord Road sidewalk was slow to be cleared. But I could run on bare pavement up Oxbow Road 24 hours after the storm. Amazing! more ›