About Our Operations

Photo of a large loader machine moving salt into the City's shed. Text: About Our Operations
Framingham Public Works Scope of Responsibilities
Image of the City's scope of responsibilities: 464 Lane Miles of Roadway Plowed, 185 cul-de-sacs, 90 miles of sidewalks plowed, 41 Parking Lots, Downtown & Business District Rt. 126/Rt. 135, Public Safety Facilities, Water, and Wastewater Facilities. 

Every winter storm brings a new set of challenges for the City of Framingham. The Department of Public Works works diligently around the clock to provide a reasonably safe travel environment both during and after winter storm events. Framingham’s primary focus is on main roads with higher speeds and a greater volume of traffic. In addition to ensuring that neighborhood roads are reasonably passable.

Framingham Public Works utilizes employees from all divisions to assist with the removal of snow and ice.

The Department uses a standardized strategy that distributes City resources uniformly throughout three geographic areas: North, South, and West.

City of Framingham Map - 3 Geographic Areas: North, South, and West

Each area is divided into four zones and is supervised by a Highway supervisor. Each zone is divided into four to five routes and is managed by a DPW supervisor.

Framingham’s arterial roadways, such as Concord Street, are designated as hub routes. Four hub routes handle the highest volume of traffic. The primary roads of each zone, such as Brook Street, are specified as point 1 routes.

North

  • Zones 1, 2, 3, & 4
  • Hub Routes 13 & 14
  • Total: 91.5 miles

South

  • Zones 5, 6, 7, & 8
  • Hub Routes 15 & 16
  • Total: 67.24 miles

West

  • Zones 9, 10, 11, 12
  • Total: 72.43 miles

There are many factors taken into consideration when mitigating a response strategy during the winter. Some of these factors include:

  • The amount of precipitation projected.
  • The intensity of precipitation – How fast will the snow come down and build up?
  • Duration of the storm or weather conditions – How long will the City experience these conditions?
  • Type of precipitation – heavy wet snow, fluffy powdery snow, freezing rain, rain, or sometimes a mix of more than one type of precipitation.

These factors must be considered to preserve our workforce, equipment, and materials.