Philadelphia Streets Department closes roads in Center City for snow removal Tuesday

PHILADELPHIA - The Philadelphia Streets Department will close several major roads in Center City starting at 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, Jan. 27, to remove snow around City Hall. The closures and cleanup will last until midnight. 

Road closures and snow removal details 

What we know:

Penn Square and several surrounding streets—including sections of Broad Street, 15th Street, JFK Boulevard, and Market Street—will be fully closed to traffic for snow removal from 4:00 p.m. to midnight, according to the Streets Department. 

"This operation will involve dozens of vehicles, including excavators and loaders, to quickly and efficiently remove tons of snow from Center City," said the Streets Department. 

Crews have already been working in North Philadelphia and other neighborhoods, using heavy equipment to clear snow from narrow streets and transport it to storage sites. 

How the city is handling the snow 

By the numbers:

The Streets Department says more than 200 vehicles and excavators, organized into 14 teams, are working across Philadelphia to excavate, load, and haul away snow. 

What you can do:

The department is asking residents to avoid unnecessary travel, slow down if you must drive, and give crews plenty of space to work safely. 

The city says these lifting operations, along with plowing and salting, will continue until all roadways—primary, secondary, and tertiary—are treated.

What we don't know:

It is not yet clear when all roads in Philadelphia will be fully cleared or when normal traffic patterns will resume after these operations.