Some New England Communities Still Cleaning Up From March Nor’easters

April 19, 2018 5:17 pm

By: Tim Studebaker

FRAMINGHAM, MASS. – Multiple March nor’easters hit some cities and towns so hard, they’re still cleaning up, and it’s proving to be a costly undertaking.

As Framingham, Mass. Mayor Yvonne Spicer puts it, “This was not a typical season.”

More than a month later, those back to back to back nor’easters are still causing headaches for people living in that city, just west of Boston.

Spicer says, “This is an extraordinary condition where we had a number of limbs down and trees down.”

The city has been hard at work, but the nor’easters really did a number on them.

Spicer says, “The DPW department is working very fast and furiously to make sure that we clean up the debris from the storms.”

It’s become such a big problem, they had to approve extra funding to help residents out.

Spicer says, “Framingham City Council voted to approve $200,000 for the cleanup project for the [nor’easter] tree brush and debris.”

Residents still have to clean up the storm debris in their yard and get it to the street, but the extra money will be used for curbside pickup. The city typically has a brush and leaf pickup every spring, but realized more had to be done. They’re already prepared in case it’s not enough.

Spicer says, “As we look at the situation and evaluate, there is the possibility that if $200,000 is not enough, that we have the opportunity to go back before the city council and ask for additional funding.”

We did reach out to some Rhode Island towns hit hardest by those March nor-easters, like Coventry and Foster. They are offering similar programs, but already had the money they needed in their budget. Check with your town to see what kind of help might be available to you.