ITEM PHOTO BY OWEN O’ROURKE
A.J. Juwara cleans off cars on Newbury Street in Peabody Friday.
BY BRIDGET TURCOTTE
Falling tree limbs were the biggest challenge for city and town public works chiefs cleaning up local streets after heavy wet snow blanketed the region on Friday, cancelling schools with the exception of Lynn, and causing accidents.
Without a declared snow emergency, Lynn Public Works Commissioner Andrew Hall said clearing city roads was “tricky,” but crews and heavy equipment worked across the city even as students trekked home from school and tree limbs temporarily blocked roadways.
Mayor Judith Flanagan Kennedy late Friday explained the decision to open schools.
“Dr. (Superintendent Catherine) Latham and I talked at length last night about opening school and, given that our last scheduled day is very late already, and we did not have a major storm forecast, we agreed that schools could open,” she said.
Kennedy said local streets, as of 6 p.m. on Friday, “are in very good shape.”
Revere officials also scrambled to clear fallen limbs with Public Works Director Donald Goodwin urging drivers to stay off the roads and be aware of limb cleanup work.
Towns like Swampscott extended their emergencies and parking bans, with Swampscott extending its ban through 8 p.m. Friday. The parking ban was initially put in place at 8 p.m. on Thursday, due to the impending snow.
Any vehicles left on public ways will be in violation of the parking ban and subject to a $50 parking ticket and will be towed.
The town of Saugus has also issued a parking ban, which began at 1 p.m. Friday and remained in effect until 8 p.m.
Nahant automatically declares a snow emergency and bans all on-street parking each time it snows, according to police.
Peabody has issued a parking ban, which is in effect until further notice. Vehicles parked on the street will be ticketed and towed.
Bridget Turcotte can be reached at [email protected]. Follow her on twitter @BridgetTurcotte.