Woburn is clearing the decks for the next big hit of winter, rolling out a citywide snow emergency parking ban from 6 p.m. Sunday (Feb. 22) through 6 p.m. Tuesday (Feb. 24). No on-street parking is allowed anywhere in the city during that window, and officials are blunt about the stakes: cars left out could be towed so plows can get through. With a powerful nor'easter expected to dump heavy, wet snow and whip up near-blizzard conditions in parts of Massachusetts, Woburn Public Schools are closed Monday and several municipal buildings are shutting their doors as crews gear up for the storm. Residents are being urged to pull vehicles off the streets and keep an eye on city alerts for any changes.
Parking Ban Details And Closures
According to the City of Woburn, the emergency order blocks on-street parking on both sides of every city street from Sunday evening through Tuesday evening. Residents are directed to use municipal lots for off-street parking during the storm. City officials note that if the system lets up sooner than expected, the ban could end early, and phone alerts have already gone out to subscribers. Any vehicles still on the street during the ban risk being towed at the owner's expense so plow crews can keep roads as clear and wide as possible.
Police Alert And Local Guidance
The Woburn Police Department amplified the message on its Facebook page, sharing the city's winter-storm notice and urging residents to get vehicles off the road and avoid unnecessary driving where they can, according to the Woburn Police Department. The department reiterated the timing of the ban and pressed for cooperation so plows and emergency vehicles are not squeezing past parked cars in heavy snow. The post also pointed residents back to the city's website for municipal lot locations and any additional storm updates.
Why Officials Moved Now
City leaders say the early, sweeping restrictions are part of a broader regional push to get out ahead of a significant nor'easter that forecasters expect to deliver heavy, wet snow and potentially blizzard-like conditions across eastern Massachusetts. Gov. Maura Healey declared a state of emergency as road crews staged equipment and utilities warned that power outages were a possibility, according to WCVB. With snowfall rates predicted to spike and travel likely to turn hazardous fast, municipalities across the area have followed a similar playbook, from parking bans to school closures, to keep people off the roads and out of trouble.
Where To Park And Who To Call
The city says its off-street municipal lots will stay open throughout the parking ban and is asking residents to shift cars there when possible. A complete list of those lots is posted on Woburn's winter-parking page, according to the City of Woburn. For questions about snow removal, residents can call the Woburn Department of Public Works at 781-897-5980. For emergencies such as downed wires, people are directed to contact the Woburn Police Department at 781-933-1212.
