Winter In Boston Preparations Are Underway, Wu Says

BOSTON, MA — Winter officially arrives in Boston next Tuesday, and the city has prepared for extreme weather by stocking up on salt and making plans to house people experiencing homelessness, Mayor Michelle Wu said.

In an announcement, Wu said her city has procured 40,000 tons of salt to treat city streets, and said the city owns 164 pieces of in-house snow clearing equipment. The city's Public Works Department clears snow from Boston's bike lanes as well, the announcement said.

Bostonians can sign up to receive AlertBoston alerts, Wu said, which notify residents via text, phone or email when a snow emergency/parking ban is declared.

During a press conference Monday morning, Wu said she would shelter the unhoused 'Methadone Mile' population at Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard during snow emergencies, the Boston Herald reported.

"Our city departments and cabinets have been hard at work to quickly identify transitional spaces with services to ensure everyone is housed this winter," Wu said, though according to the Herald she didn't specify where those temporary shelters would be.

However, the Herald reported, officials said city shelters will have 1,000 beds open during extreme weather.

During snow emergencies, Wu said in her announcement, men should go to 112 Southampton Street Shelter, and women should stay at the Woods-Mullen Shelter at 794 Massachusetts Ave.

"I am so grateful to the team from many departments and several different cabinets that come together to ensure that our streets will be safe and that our residents will be warm, supported and connected to everything that they need," Wu said in a statement. "As we continue to manage amidst a global pandemic, winter will be the next phase of how we're supporting all of our residents."