Mayor Walsh Urges Extreme Caution as Winter Conditions Worsen
Published on February 16, 2025
Walsh issues new Snow Safety Alert with ice, snow and wind impacting Syracuse and Onondaga County
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh issued a new Snow Safety Alert for the City of Syracuse urging city residents to use caution on roads and sidewalks during a winter storm delivering dangerous ice, snow and windy conditions.
The National Weather Service issued a Lake Effect Snow Warning beginning at 7 p.m. tonight through 4 p.m. Monday. Earlier today, Onondaga County Executive Ryan McMahon issued a countywide Travel Advisory.
"We’re facing ‘triple threat’ winter conditions with ice, snow and then high winds,” said Mayor Walsh. “Rain during the day has created slushy areas and standing water on roads. As rain switches to snow and temperatures drop, road and sidewalk conditions will likely worsen. High winds may cause falling limbs from ice- and snow-covered trees. I urge drivers and walkers to use extreme caution.”
The City’s Snow Safety Alert advises drivers to be prepared for hazardous road conditions; reminds residents to obey odd-even parking regulations; and urges property owners to clear their sidewalks and around fire hydrants. Information on snow safety in the City of Syracuse is available at syr.gov/winter. Power lines down by trees should be treated as hazardous and should not to be touched. Call 911 or the National Grid emergency line at 800-867-5222 and stay away from the area.
Residents are encouraged to use the City’s live Snow Plow Map on the Snow Safety page and follow @SYRCityline on social media to gauge real-time road conditions throughout the event to make informed decisions before venturing into snowy conditions.
What Residents Should Do
Property owners should clear snow from sidewalks on their properties and around fire hydrants. Keeping sidewalks as clear as possible during and after the storm helps to keep pedestrians from walking in roads with vehicle traffic. The Syracuse Fire Department asks residents to clear a three-foot area around and a path to fire hydrants near their property. The City will continue the Sidewalk Snow Removal program this year. Residents can view and download the map of sidewalks that will be cleared by the City in the Sidewalk Snow Removal section of the Snow Safety page. Even in these areas, residents are still responsible for keeping their sidewalks clear.
Residents should observe alternate side parking rules and park cars off-street whenever possible. DPW plows need to be able to access streets to clear them. Syracuse Police will be ticketing and towing vehicles that are illegally parked.
The City has identified priority streets for focused parking enforcement during snow events. These streets were selected using city data, including the percentage of multi-family dwellings, the width of the street, and other elements contributing to increases in on-street parking. The list also includes streets known to be problem points for plow drivers.
Residents are advised that seasonal odd-even parking restrictions will be enforced on certain downtown blocks as well. The City has posted signage marking the parking changes and listing the hours for alternate parking. Restrictions are in place in the following areas:
100 & 200 blocks Erie Blvd. E.
100 & 200 blocks E. Water St.
100 & 200 blocks S. Warren St.
300 & 400 blocks S. Warren St.
300 block of Montgomery St.
100 & 200 blocks Madison St.
100 & 200 blocks E. Jefferson St.
100 block W. Jefferson St.
Registered vehicle owners found in violation of the restrictions will be subject to ticketing and towing. For more information on downtown parking options, including options for overnight parking, please see the Downtown Parking brochure or contact the Downtown Committee at 315-422-8284 or mail@downtownsyracuse.com.
What Residents Should Know
Plows prioritize clearing primary and service roads to ensure accessibility for emergency services, focusing on high-volume roadways, emergency routes, hills, and major destinations. Neighborhood side streets are plowed once major routes are clear and snowfall has subsided. In Central New York, city, county, and state agencies work together to maintain highways and service roads. For more information before venturing into snowy weather, residents can visit syr.gov/winter.
City residents with further questions or snow related concerns and requests can submit requests to Cityline using the SYRCityline app or by calling 315-448-8360. Residents can also follow @SYRCityline on social media for updates. For all emergencies, the public should call 9-1-1.