City of Philadelphia Ends Snow Emergency

PHILADELPHIA, PA (WTXF) - Officials have ended the city's Snow Emergency. The Snow Emergency was extended through Sunday to assist with plowing operations. For citizens, the end of a Snow Emergency means that cars can once again be parked on Snow Emergency routes. Cars left on Snow Emergency routes between Friday and Sunday evening were likely relocated. If your car is moved, call 215-686-SNOW to find it. Do not call 911.

The PPA will continue to offer its $5 per day rate for cars already parked in the Center City garages that were designated on Friday to help citizens displaced by the snow emergency until 7 AM on Tuesday morning. As citizens return their cars to their normal parking spaces, they are asked not to park too close to corners, as snow plowing and salting equipment require extra room to turn safely. Parking too close to a corner or too far from the curb will hinder efficient snow removal from streets.

City government will be open for business on Monday, January 25. The Courts will also be open. The Philly 311 Call Center will remain open until midnight on Sunday and reopen at 6 AM. on Monday. For all non-emergency calls and for updates regarding snowplowing and salting operations, citizens should call 311, not 911. Non-emergency calls to 911 hamper the dispatchers' ability to focus on immediate life-threatening emergencies.

Travel on Monday in Philadelphia will continue to pose challenges, and residents are urged to proceed with caution. Water that melted during Sunday's warmer temperatures will re-freeze tonight when temperatures fall into the teens region-wide. Untreated roadways and walkways, particularly bridges and overpasses, will become slippery, which may affect the Monday morning commute. On-street parking may also be limited as plowing operations continue.

Plowing Efforts

While the snow emergency has been lifted, it's important for citizens to note that snow removal operations are ongoing. This weekend's blizzard was the fourth greatest in the City's history and, accordingly, recovery will take some time. While the city's primary roads are generally passable, plows are still being used to widen them. Secondary, tertiary and residential streets will be the main focus of current plowing. This plowing is a collective effort involving the Streets Department and 12 other departments and agencies

Closures and Cancellations

There will be no trash or recycling collection on Monday, so that trash trucks can continue to be used for plowing. Residents whose trash is normally picked up Monday should hold their trash one week, until the following Monday. A determination about Tuesday trash collection will be made and announced on Monday.

School District of Philadelphia schools, Archdiocesan schools and all Community College of Philadelphia locations are closed.

Philadelphia International Airport has resumed normal operations. However, some Airlines may still cancel flights, so travelers should check with their airline, or go to PHL.org, or call 1-800-PHL-GATE

Shoveling Snow

Property owners are required to clear a three (3) foot path in front of their property, including curb cuts, within six (6) hours of the end of the storm. Residents should not shovel or toss snow onto city streets. It is against the law to do this.

Fire Hydrants and Storm Drains

City officials ask residents to clear snow and ice from fire hydrants so that firefighters can hook up hoses quickly in the event of a fire. In addition, please clear snow and ice away from storm drains on your block to allow melting snow to flow directly down the drains. This will help to prevent icy road conditions. With the weather outlook of temperatures in the 40's in the days following the storm, clearing snow and ice away from the drains is even more important as conditions will be higher for flooding when large amounts of snow melt quickly.