Description

The unplowed, unpassable sidewalks along 90% of Highland Avenue between Fire Station #2 and the river are a DISGRACE, as they are after every major snowstorm. As always, the majority of commercial property owners blatantly refuse to clear snow from (and/or dump ten-foot-tall snow piles in the middle of) their frontage sidewalks - Wingate, Muzi, Speedway, Petco, and TD Bank to name a few. And as always, MassDOT does not plow any of the sidewalks across the Exit 19 interchange. The bridge over the Charles remains unplowed. NOBODY CARES - not the Town of Needham, not MassDOT, not the commercial property owners - they all deny responsibility, and the Needham Police Department brags about having never in history enforced the applicable town bylaw (Article 3.1.8.1). If the Needham DPW has the authority to issue fines then it should be doing so, since the NPD obviously considers enforcement beyond its purview. But more importantly, the town should come up with an actual SNOW REMOVAL PLAN for Highland Avenue, rather than leaving pedestrians to risk their lives walking in the dark gutter as cars whiz by at 60 mph. I would note that this occurs after every snowstorm (it has nothing to do with COVID staffing deficiencies), and it is only a matter of time before a fatal accident occurs as a result. Please, Town of Needham, take this seriously!!! It is a true disgrace.