Snow emergency lifted in Philadelphia
PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Officials in Philadelphia have lifted the snow emergency that was in place due to Thursday's winter storm.
The Streets Department will continue salting and plowing until roads are made passable for safe traveling. Parking is now permitted again along snow emergency routes.
The snowfall stopped around 1:30 p.m. Thursday in South Philadelphia, and most major roadways in the city were passable.
"Motorists should allow extra time, exercise patience and maintain safe driving distances. Black ice on the roadway remains an issue for vehicular traffic, and the region is still under a wind advisory, with the possibility of downed trees and power lines," said Managing Director Tumar Alexander.
Here are some of the latest snow totals released by the National Weather Service:
Chestnut Hill - 8.8 in
Northeast Philadelphia - 5.5 in
Philadelphia - 3.1 in
Philadelphia International Airport - 2.8 in
Wynnefield neighbor Anthony Mongillo says if this is the last storm, he's alright with that.
"I'm not going to be mad haha. I'm not going to be mad about that at all," said Mongillo.
Every neighborhood from the hilly streets of Roxborough to West Philadelphia had to dig back out. But we heard from people keeping a positive outlook.
"You have to have it with the snow!" said Wallace Edson of West Philadelphia.
"Those poor people in Texas man, burst pipes and flood waters in their houses," said Jimmy Ryan of Roxborough.
On East Passyunk Avenue, just below South Street, Cohen & Co. Hardware was prepared for unprepared city residents.
Mitchell Cohen said that the fourth-generation owned hardware store has seen its share of hard winters.
"Even somebody saying, 'I want just a little bit of salt.' We'll fill something," said Cohen, who offered to-go cups of salt. "We have big bags, small bags and shovels. We're here for everybody."
At nearby Gigi Pizza, employee Austin Boyle said he started clearing the walkway early in anticipation of a busy evening.
"I think it's going to be, at least for us. A lot of neighborhood business and some delivery," he said.
After shoveling her sidewalk through three big recent snow storms, Nancy Jackson is rethinking her decision to buy a corner lot in Germantown.
"When I bought (the house) 25 years ago, I never had a thought about snow," laughed Jenkins.
Those who did venture out had to be careful. Some drivers struggled to navigate up the hill on West Chelten Avenue near Pulaski Avenue in Germantown.
SEE ALSO: How much snow has fallen from Thursday's winter storm?
Even with four-wheel-drive, Mark Mack knows that struggle all too well.
"It's harder (using four-wheel-drive) because you have to stop four wheels from spinning instead of two," he said.
Mack operates a snow clearing business that plows the lots of local gas stations. He offered advice for anyone who has to drive in the snow like he does.
"Don't rush," he said. "Your boss will understand if you're late."
Glenn Jenkins chose to use a ride-sharing service to get to work for his 12-hour overnight shift as a nurse. He says the snow is making things even harder on local health care workers and hospitals.
"A lot of barriers right now with snow and stuff like that. Ambulance services are taking a while to come in and get patients and take them out," he said.
Nathan Orians of Queen Village said his dog Hobbs can't wait to go outside when the snow falls and he has a hard time getting him to come back in.
Orians says he feels the exact same way.
"I like it. I'm from upstate New York so it feels like home for me," he said.
The science behind why it's so quiet after a snowfall
When it comes to plowing the streets the city is getting more efficient. On Thursday, the Streets Department launched the PlowPHL platform on their website. It tracks the progress of clearing each and every city street through real time GPS.
"For us, it has worked very well because then we can see what grids haven't been touched and we can redirect our resources to that location," said Streets Department Commissioner Carlton Williams.
On the map, a solid blue line means the road was treated less than six hours ago. A dark blue dotted line means the road was treated between 6 to 12 hours ago. A light dotted blue lines means it was treated over 12 hours ago.
Read more winter storm-related updates from Philadelphia officials below:
Sanitation and Recycling Collections: The Streets Department suspended trash and recycling collections on Thursday, February 18 so that crews and sanitation vehicles could be utilized for snow operations. Collections will resume tomorrow, Friday, February 19. Residents should expect delays as crews navigate through the snow and ice:
Wednesday's collections, which were scheduled for Thursday this week due to the Presidents Day holiday, are postponed until Friday
Thursday's collections are postponed until Saturday
Residents whose normal trash day is Friday should hold their materials until Friday, February 26
Residents may set materials at their normal pickup location. Residents with rear driveway collections should expect delays as some rear driveways can be inaccessible when there is significant hard-packed snow and ice. Crews will continue to assess inaccessible driveways and attempt to pick up materials when sanitation trucks can pass through safely.
Sanitation Convenience Center operations will resume on Friday, February 19 with normal hours of 8 a.m. - 6 p.m. The centers are open Monday through Saturday. Visit philadelphiastreets.com for locations.
City Buildings: The City of Philadelphia government offices will be open to the public tomorrow, Friday, February 19.
Food Sites: Sites will be open on Friday, February 19. Visit phila.gov/food to view specific site schedules.
Access Centers: Access Centers will resume normal schedule on Friday, February 19.
Free Library of Philadelphia: The Free Library will resume materials pick-up and limited in-building services on Friday, February 19. The Free Library's virtual programming continues and the call center 1-833-TALK FLP (825-5357) is also open.
Call Centers Open: The Philly 311 Call Center remains open during normal business hours (8 a.m. - 8 p.m.) to take calls for non-emergencies. The City will announce when requests will be taken for salting and plowing.
PWD: The Philadelphia Water Department's customer contact center (215-685-6300) will be open. Residents are encouraged to shovel snow from the fronts of fire hydrants and storm drains on their block to allow snow melt to drain to the city sewer system.
Homeless Outreach: The Office of Homeless Services issued a Code Blue on Wednesday, February 10 at 3 p.m., and it will remain in effect until further notice. Throughout the Code Blue, Philadelphia's homeless outreach teams will patrol the streets in greater numbers, urging individuals experiencing homelessness to come indoors and avoid prolonged exposure to the elements amid dangerously cold temperatures. People do not need ID to enter shelters, and they can remain indoors throughout the duration of the Code Blue. If you are concerned about someone who is homeless, please call Homeless Outreach at 215-232-1984 at any time. Outreach is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. First responders can also transport people to shelter for their own safety. Review the Safer Shelter Initiative to learn how City-funded, privately operated shelters keep residents and staff safe.
Pet Safety Awareness: Residents should contact the ACCT Philly hotline (267-385-3800 ext 1) if they observe a dog outside during extreme cold (aside from bathroom breaks and short walks). It is against City ordinance to leave dogs outside in extreme cold without proper shelter, and owners can be fined up to $500.
Information for Businesses: All property owners and/or tenants are responsible for clearing a 36 inch path on all sidewalks, including curb cuts, abutting the building or premises within six hours after the snow has ceased to fall-even if the establishment is temporarily closed due to snow or COVID-19 restrictions. A fine of $50 or more can be imposed in violation of this code.
Establishments with outdoor dining need to take additional precautions. All outdoor dining setups should be secured, removing as much of the setups as possible-including tables, chairs, heating equipment, temporary structures. As noted in the City's winter guidelines for outdoor dining, the City is not liable for any damage from plowing or snow removal, even if structures are permitted. Materials should be cleared from the right of way as much as possible to avoid possible damage and blocking of dining setups. Restaurants with unpermitted structures are reminded that their establishment is liable for any injuries suffered due to damage from the structure during and after the storm.
SEPTA will continue to post real-time travel updates at septa.org and @SEPTA on Twitter.
Philadelphia Parking Authority (PPA) will apply normal rates at all PPA-operated Center City garages beginning at 9 a.m. Friday, February 19. To be eligible for the $5 snow emergency rate, vehicles must enter by tonight at 9 p.m. and exit the facility by 9 a.m. Friday, February 19.
NOTE: To receive the discounted $5 rate, customers must bring their ticket and pay at the PPA Management Office in each garage.
Additionally, the PPA will resume enforcement of all parking regulations including, meters, kiosks, and residential parking time limits at 6:30 a.m. Friday, February 19. All parking safety regulations remain in effect.
PHL International Airport: Travelers and those picking up travelers are encouraged to check their flight status and road conditions before leaving for the airport. Call your airline, get updates at 1-800-PHL-GATE (745-4283), or check the PHL International Airport website-phl.org.
First Judicial District: The First Judicial District announced that courthouses will be open tomorrow, Friday, February 19.
