The city's snow clearing crew has been doing its best to manage the waves of storms and large dumpings of snow and ice this winter, but not everyone is happy with the response.
Many residents are finding it difficult to clear the mounds of ice blocking the entrances to their driveways, prompting a flurry of complaints to the city's online reporting tool.
So far in 2023, the city has received over 570 complaints from the community for snow removal and ice build-up.
Communications officer for the City of Cambridge, Teresa Chiavaroli, said the most common concerns are timing of when residential roads are cleared and residential roads not being cleared down to bare pavement, like primary and secondary roads.
The city will only clear residential roads when more than 8 cm of snow has accumulated on them and only after the primary and secondary roads have been serviced.
"It is normal for residential roads to be snow packed as we limit the amount of salt applied to those roads to reduce the impacts of salt on our drinking water supply and the environment," said Chiavaroli.
According to the city's website, drivers are recommended to check the live map of roads that are plowed and to use their best judgment to drive on an un-plowed road.
After the last snow storm, residents took to social media to voice their frustrations and concerns.
"They flew down Laurel Street throwing the chunks of ice well past the sidewalks up into the front lawns. Kinda disappointed for the first time this year," one person said.
"It does make using the sidewalk almost impossible first thing in the morning, for the students who walk down Laurel, the seniors from the home up the street who head to the store and the dog walkers. Last thing you want in a snow event is people walking down the side of the road because the sidewalk is plowed over."
Others, while still unhappy with the amount of snow and ice on their property were sympathetic with the workers who try and keep the roads safe.
"I love my city and a huge thank you to these workers!! Nothing is ever perfect and there is always room for growth but we see you and we appreciate all that you do," wrote a happy resident.
"I live on a court and this snow fall was actually cleaned quickly, but I was barricaded by the snow at the end of my driveway. Rock solid and 1.5 feet tall," wrote another.
The new theme the city is dealing with is the piles of ice built up at the end of the driveways. When the city plows the road after the recent snow and ice storms, it creates a wall of solid ice at the end of driveways; an issue the city is sympathetic about, but says is not their responsibility.
"Property owners are expected maintain access to their property through the driveway entrance," Chiavaroli said.
"While that has been very challenging for many residents in these past few snow events, it is not part of the service that Cambridge or most other municipalities provide to property owners."
The feedback the city gets from their reporting tool helps them create new policy that will help residents with their snow related complaints.
After concerns were raised about seniors and those not physically able to remove snow and ice from their property, the city council approved the expansion of a winter program designed to help these individuals.
The service will be provided to 40 to 50 residents who do not have the physical ability or financial means to clear the sidewalks adjacent to their property. Applications are expected to be open in September.
They also approved additional crews to expand snow removal services following a snow event along curb-faced sidewalks.
"The crews will be able to remove snow from over 40 km of sidewalk to improve the usability for all residents in our Community to go to school, go to work, go shopping or simply for exercise," said Chiavaroli.
If anyone has complaints or concerns about snow removal in the city, residents can use the city's report tool.
More information about winter maintenance can be found on the city's website.
