Property owners, occupants and tenants are responsible for keeping the sidewalks along their properties free of snow and ice. Sidewalks must be cleared within 6 hours after the snowing ends, or before noon if the snow ends during the night. Failure to comply with these deadlines can result in a fine of $50 for the owner or occupant.
The City of Newburyport clears designated sidewalks in the downtown and around schools and other city-owned property. In addition, the Parks Department clears snow along the Clipper City Rail Trail, which is an important transportation link as well as a recreational facility.
While these rules and procedures address the majority of situations across the city, there are numerous locations where snow and ice are not removed on a timely basis — or at all. These include some critical sidewalks in the commercial area along Storey Avenue, and pedestrian crossings on Route 1. Part of the problem in these areas may be that responsibility for the sidewalks is shared by several or many parties, for example, a shopping center owner and all the businesses within the center.
In the winter of 2018-2019, NLS members began monitoring sidewalks and recording problematic locations. We have now created an online form that residents can use to identify sidewalks, crosswalks and other pedestrian ways that are not being cleared of snow after storm events. You can fill out a report by clicking here.
Resources
City ordinance Sec 12-52 — sidewalk snow removal
Department of Public Services Snow and Ice Plan, 2020-2021 Season
Newburyport Livable Streets 