THAT THE CITY MANAGER IS REQUESTED TO CONFER WITH RELEVANT CITY STAFF AND REPORT BACK WITH INFORMATION AS THE FIRST STEP IN THE EXPLORATION OF A POTENTIAL CAMBRIDGE SNOW CORPS PROGRAM.

POR 2026-40 FIRST IN COUNCIL March 2, 2026 City of Cambridge COUNCILLOR SOBRINHO-WHEELER COUNCILLOR NOLAN MAYOR SIDDIQUI COUNCILLOR AL-ZUBI WHEREAS: Since the beginning of the year, Cambridge has experienced multiple snowstorms that have dropped several feet of snow on the city, including a blizzard on February 22-23 that deposited more than 30 inches of precipitation; and WHEREAS: Clearing this snow has required a tremendous amount of work from the City’s Department of Public Works staff, contractors, and Cambridge residents; and WHEREAS: Currently the City of Cambridge is responsible for clearing snow from City-owned streets and sidewalks next to parks, schools, and municipal buildings–as well as curb cuts at crosswalks—with other sidewalk snow clearance the responsibility of private property owners; and WHEREAS: While many sidewalks, bus stops, and crosswalks are well cleared 12 hours after snow stops—which is the requirement in Cambridge—some are not, and this patchwork creates significant challenges for Cambridge residents, especially people who use wheelchairs, have other mobility challenges, or who have strollers; and WHEREAS: Snow challenges for pedestrians can be dangerous, as evidenced by the death of a woman with mobility challenges on February 1 who was using a walker in Wareham, MA and was struck by a car while walking in the street because of an uncleared sidewalk; and WHEREAS: The City currently has a Snow Exemption Program for low-income homeowners with disabilities or who are over age 60 where City staff will clear sidewalks, as well as a Student Shoveler Program that works to connect teens with other residents who hire them for snow shoveling assistance; and WHEREAS: Some cities have recently been exploring an expansion of their sidewalk snow clearing programs, including the creation of a Snow Corps in Boston based on models in Baltimore and Chicago and the hiring of Emergency Snow Shovelers by the New York City Department of Sanitation; and WHEREAS: After significant snow events, it is important to review what is working well with City operations, as well as what can be improved to meet the needs of all residents, including the existing Snow Exemption and Student Shoveler Programs, as well as other City snow operations; now therefore be it

ORDERED: That the City Manager be and is hereby requested to confer with relevant City staff and report back with information on the following as the first step in the exploration of a potential Cambridge Snow Corps program: 1. Data on the City’s Snow Exemption program for low-income elderly and disabled homeowners, including how many residents are currently signed up for snow exemptions 2. Data on the Student Shoveler Program, including how many teens are currently included in the program, how many new sign-ups there are per year, and how many requests the Council on Aging has received for connections with student shovelers 3. SeeClickFix data on “Icy or Unshoveled Sidewalks”, and any other data on unshoveled crosswalk or bus stop requests, including how many requests have been made and responded to so far in 2026, the geographical distribution of the requests, and other relevant patterns in the data 4. The number of citations issued for icy or unshoveled sidewalks in the last three years and 2026 year-to-date; and be it further ORDERED: That the City Manager be and hereby is requested to report back to the City Council in a timely manner. In City Council March 2, 2026. Adopted by Affirmative Vote of Nine Members:- Attest:- Paula M. Crane, Interim City Clerk A true copy; ATTEST:- Paula M. Crane Interim City Clerk Click or tap here to enter text.