LYNN – A lingering snow and ice issue on Logan Street has sparked frustration among residents, as plows failed to clear the road properly following the latest snowstorm.
The problem, worsened by a water leak that later froze over, has left residents struggling with blocked parking, dangerously icy conditions, and a narrowed roadway. While city officials say the immediate concerns have now been addressed, questions remain over the Department of Public Works’ (DPW) handling of the situation and broader plowing issues across the city.
Lynn Ward 2 Councilor Obed Matul, who was contacted by constituents about the issue, said he reached out to DPW on Sunday when the problem began. Despite his efforts, he expressed disappointment in the department’s delayed response.
“I spoke with DPW, but they didn’t follow through immediately, and this became a bigger issue, turning into a water leak,” Matul said. “Water and Sewer came out this [Wednesday] morning and fixed the leak, but the plows didn’t initially get close enough to the curb, which made the street narrower. Then when the water started leaking, it just made everything worse, creating thick ice.”
According to Matul, plows that were dispatched failed to clear the road effectively, instead pushing snow in front of storm drains, which contributed to the freeze. While the Lynn Water & Sewer Commission was able to clear the drains, a thick layer of ice remained, leaving residents frustrated. He also noted that DPW sent sanders to the area three times on the morning of the fix, but residents remain concerned about the lack of proper plowing to the curb.
The Lynn Water & Sewer Commission took additional action on Wednesday around 3:30 p.m. to clear the remaining ice on Logan Street, addressing the buildup caused by the earlier water leak and blocked storm drains.
Longtime resident Dave Flaherty described how improper plowing created a parking and safety nightmare.
“The plow trucks stayed about five feet off of the street, so we lost all our parking. People from Chestnut Street are parking down here, and we’ve had cars blocking driveways,” said Flaherty. “I had to have a car towed the other night. There’s no space for people to park, and there’s barely enough room for cars to get through.”
Flaherty, who spent 30 years working in plowing, believes the issue was a result of inexperience among some of the plow drivers.
“This last snowstorm, they just plowed straight instead of following the curve of the road. Usually, they’re decent, but this time, they missed the mark,” he said.
DPW Commissioner Andy Hall acknowledged the plowing issue but attributed it largely to a lack of staffing and contractors.
“We have a series of supervisors that watch the contractors, and the goal is to clear the snow to the side of the curb,” Hall said. “But when you get subsequent storms, and snow starts to build away from the curb, it becomes harder.”
Hall also noted that the ice issue on Logan Street stemmed from a water break on Chestnut Street, which ran down and froze over.
“We are severely short-staffed. I’m actually proud of what the guys did with the amount of resources that we have,” Hall said. “We don’t have enough contractors—it’s a problem. We raised the rates $20 an hour across the board to encourage more contractors, and we’re going to have to do something similar again.”
Matul emphasized that plowing issues are not limited to Logan Street but are a problem citywide.
“We had a meeting with DPW and Andy Hall before this winter kicked off, talking about storm preparation, and we needed to make sure that people are plowing properly,” Matul said. “Plowers were not plowing close enough to the curb—it’s something that we let DPW know.”
Matul also noted that some contractors attended the meeting, but the issues have persisted.
“This is an issue in the whole city,” he said. “Last year, the city was short-staffed with contractors, and this year it has only gotten worse. I think what we need to do to improve is have better supervision on each route. Being short-staffed makes it difficult.”
The councilor, now in his second winter in office, said he has observed the issue firsthand.
“Last storm I was outside my house for about 40 minutes watching people plowing—they were plowing quite far from the curb. Again I really think they need better supervision,” he said.
With DPW facing ongoing staffing shortages, the city is looking at increasing contractor pay and oversight to ensure better plowing in future storms.
