Boston looks to expand city plowing of sidewalk corners and ramps after snowfall

A pilot program by Boston Public Works winter to dig out busy sidewalk corners, crosswalks and handicap ramps has become permanent and the city will try to expand it to cover more parts of the city, City Councilor Kenzie Bok says.

Bok (Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway, Mission Hill) says a pilot program to clear off parts of busy sidewalks that might be missed by property owners - such as corners and ramps - last winter proved very successful, and that Public Works plans to expand the number of Bobcats and other snow movers assigned to the task from 60 to 80.

Next year, she said, Public Works hopes to expand the program even further, to cover key sidewalk areas in all 20 of the city's Main Streets business districts.

She told fellow councilors yesterday that the main problem is finding workers to staff all the Bobcats, because they require commercial drivers' licenses and people with those licenses are already in high demand by trucking companies and snowplow operators.

She added that during long-duration storms, the city can run into issues clearing off corners and ramps because the CDL drivers it employs need to take breaks from driving heavier-duty snowplows. In contrast, after quick storms, she said, drivers can finish off some streets, then jump onto a Bobcat to take care of sidewalks.