Print
Share page with AddThis

Town of Holden Winter Storm Info.

STORM UPDATE

Saturday, February 21: DPW trucks are ready to roll. Three to six inches of snow are expected tonight, followed possibly by sleet. Drive only if necessary and use caution. Please make way for snow plows and emergency vehicles. Thank you for your cooperation as we deal with more snow.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sunday, February 15: STORM UPDATE: Thank you for your cooperation while we dig out from another snow storm. Sub-zero temperatures are expected tonight through Monday night, with an even colder wind chill. High winds may cause power outages, so please take precautions and be prepared. Residents are asked to please check on your neighbors, dig out hydrants if you are able, and keep burner vents clear. DPW crews have been plowing since last night. The Town's road salt supply has been replenished. Operations will continue until roads are treated, and sidewalks and parking lots are cleared. Please watch out for snow removal and emergency vehicles.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Saturday, February 14: WINTER STORM WARNING: 8 to 12 inches of snow expected from 7 p.m. today through 1 p.m. tomorrow. High winds are expected, as well as sub-zero temperatures. Please take precautions. Do not travel on roadways, if possible.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, February 11: Today, the Town of Holden Department of Public Works will be going to the salt depot in Chelsea to pick up an ample supply of road salt. The Town has secured approximately nine transport trucks, two of which are on loan from the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA), to retrieve the salt.

The Town has secured a small amount of gravel/salt mix to treat hilly areas. Once we receive the material, the side roads will be treated as needed.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, February 10: Due to the severe winter weather we have been experiencing, the Town's salt supply is getting low and our supplier is unable to make our scheduled deliveries. The Department of Public Works will not be treating side streets or other low volume roadways until the salt supply is refreshed. Please use caution when driving.

Beginning today, February 10, the DPW will be pushing back, or "winging," the snow banks along the sides of the roads. We do our best to avoid knocking snow back into driveways and other cleared areas, but it may happen. We apologize for the inconvenience; however this process is necessary to provide additional snow storage for future storm events.

The DPW will also be attempting to remove snow from intersections. This will take some time so we ask you to use caution at intersections with limited visibility, and to watch out and make way for emergency and snow removal vehicles.

Finally, the DPW and Fire Department appreciate any assistance you may provide in digging out around fire hydrants. The DPW will be working on clearing out hydrants, but it will take a number of days to do so.

Thank you for your continued patience and understanding while we work to dig out from these snow storms.
 
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Monday, February 9: Town business offices and the Gale Free Library will be closed today due to the winter storm.

The snow is expected to taper during the early evening hours today. Snow totals from Saturday through tonight are measuring at approximately 18-plus inches. Our DPW crews will be out on the road tonight until 11 p.m. Crews will be back on the road tomorrow at 7 a.m. We thank you for your cooperation as we all dig out. If you must drive, please use caution and watch for emergency vehicles.

UPDATE: To assist with opening our schools, our DPW crews will begin plowing school parking lots and sidewalks at 3 a.m.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Winter Storm Warning until 1 a.m., Tuesday, February 10: Heavy snow, 10 to 18 inches possible. Poor visibility, wind gusts to 35 mph. Avoid vehicular travel. If you must drive, please use extreme caution.

Sunday, February 8: Due to the impending winter storm, the Monday, February 9 trash collection is postponed until Tuesday, February 10. The trash collection schedule for the remainder of this coming week will be postponed one day, as well. (Tuesday trash will be picked up Wednesday; Wednesday trash will be picked up Thursday; etc.)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, February 3: Customers who had their trash & recycling collection canceled on Monday, February 2 due to the winter storm should put out all their trash and recycling on Saturday, February 7. If you have extra trash that won’t fit in your toter, please place it in a bag (NOT the purchased blue overflow bags) next to your toter that day. The contractor will pick up all the trash & recycling you put out on February 7.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Monday, February 2: The snow is expected to taper in the next several hours. The DPW will continue its snow removal operations on all roads, sidewalks, parking lots and walkways throughout the night. Visibility is low. If you must travel, please use extreme caution.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Town of Holden business offices will be closed today, Monday, February 2 due to the snowstorm. Up to a foot of snow is expected. DPW crews have been out this morning treating and plowing our roadways. Due to the winter storm, today's trash and recycling collection has been postponed until this Saturday, February 7. The remainder of this week's trash and recycling collection will run on schedule. Please note: tonight's Board of Selectmen's meeting has been postponed until 6:30 p.m. tomorrow night at Memorial Hall, Town Hall. Also, real estate taxes paid tomorrow will not be charged interest.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Friday, January 30: Message from the Town Manager's Office: REVISED TUESDAY TRASH COLLECTION: Tuesday customers who had their trash collection canceled due to the blizzard should put out all their trash on the next collection scheduled for Tuesday, February 3. If you have extra trash that won’t fit in your toter, please place it in a bag (NOT the purchased blue overflow bags) next to your toter that day. The contractor will pick up all the trash you put out on February 3.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Thursday, January 29: Tuesday customers who had their trash collection canceled due to the blizzard will be allowed to put out one additional large trash bag (not a purchased overflow bag) to accommodate any extra trash, next Tuesday, February 3. Tuesday customers are asked to please place this additional bag on top of their toters for next week’s pick-up.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Wednesday, January 28: Holden received approximately 33 inches of snow from this week's storm. The DPW is continuing to work on widening roadways, creating additional snow storage and working on sidewalk clearing over the next several days. Thank you for your patience as this work continues.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tuesday, January 27: Snowfall is expected to continue through Tuesday evening. There have been no power outages reported thus far. Motorists are reminded to please observe the travel ban that is currently in place. This statewide travel ban will end at midnight, Gov. Charles Baker announced this afternoon.The Town of Holden thanks its residents for their cooperation during this storm.

Town of Holden business offices will open tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28 at 8 a.m.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

  • Trash collection scheduled for Tuesday, January 27 has been canceled due to the impending winter storm. Residents who are scheduled to have their trash picked up that day will have their trash picked up next Tuesday, February 3. Trash collection scheduled for Wednesday, January 28 has been canceled. Trash collection on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday is delayed one-day. Please do not put your toters out until snow removal and plowing operations are complete.

 

  • Residents are asked to remove parked vehicles off the roads during snow removal and plowing operations. Please be advised that a motor vehicle travel ban begins at midnight and carries through all day tomorrow, Tuesday, January 27.

 

  • From the Holden Municipal Light Department: The expected heavy snow and strong winds may result in power outages.  Strong winds would be the major contributor to outages. Heavy snow may limit our access to damaged areas.

    What to expect…

       1) If the entire town loses power due to the loss of the National Grid transmission lines, it will likely take 8-12 hours, at a minimum, to have that power restored. (Although the lines were also lost during Hurricane Sandy, and the power came back sooner, that was not the norm.)

       2) If we lose a major circuit(s) in town, our first priority will be to return it/them to service, as that restoration will bring more customers on line.

       3) The same prioritization will occur for progressively smaller circuits.

       4) Individual house / building connections will occur after the larger circuits are restored.   

       Other things…

       5) Restoration may be delayed if it is too dangerous for our workers to be out during the storm.

       6) Make sure you are signed up on CodeRED (see the town website). We will use that notification system to keep the community apprised of town-wide conditions.

  • The Holden Fire Department is asking residents to please shovel out any nearby fire hydrants. Also, please be sure to shovel out home exhaust systems.

 

  • Verizon customers can contact Verizon at 1-800-VERIZON (1-800-837-4966) or online at www.verizon.com/outage  to report any service-related issue, receive alert and find helpful service-related FAQs.

 

  • Town business offices and the Gale Free Library will be closed Tuesday, January 27.

Please visit www.holdenma.gov or call (508) 210-5555 for updated storm information. The Town of Holden is also on Facebook. For additional winter storm information and winter safety tips, please visit the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency website.