Gerson's Landscaping

Winter · Framingham, MA

Where can your driveway snow go in Framingham? The street rule, explained

Plowing your driveway out onto the road is the classic mistake. In Framingham it can cost you. Here is what the City allows.

By Gerson's Landscaping · Updated · 2 min read

The short answer

  • No one may plow or move snow or ice onto City streets.
  • Fines run up to $300 per offense, lower for homes with fewer than six units.
  • Snow can sit up to 12 inches into the street next to the driveway opening.

What the Framingham snow rule says

The City's rule is short: no one may plow or in any way move snow or ice onto City streets. That covers you, your neighbor's snowblower and any plow you hire.

Fines run up to $300 per offense, and are lower for homes with fewer than six units.

What you are allowed to do with the snow

  • Leave snow on the sidewalk, as long as people can still walk past.
  • Place snow up to 12 inches into the street, right next to your driveway opening.
  • Pile it on your own property: lawn edges and beds, away from the street.

Who clears the sidewalk in front of your house

Framingham plows about 84.5 miles of sidewalks. Downtown (Routes 126 and 135) is cleared during the storm, the rest as soon as reasonably possible.

Residents are not required to shovel the sidewalk out front, but the City recommends it when it is safe.

Three ways to plan snow before the first storm

  • Mark driveway edges with stakes now, while you can still see the lawn.
  • Pick your pile spots: places that won't melt back across the driveway.
  • Decide who clears it: you, a machine, or someone on a list before the first storm.

The first storm is when everyone calls. Getting on a list in November beats calling during the snow.

Sources

More Framingham yard guides

Winter · 2 minFramingham snow emergency parking: the odd/even rule and snow arteriesTwo parking rules matter in a Framingham winter: the year-round odd/even side rule, and the stricter rule when a snow emergency is declared.Read the guide →Winter · 2 minSnowblower buying guide: single-stage vs two-stage, and the brands to knowBuying a snowblower is really one question: what does your driveway look like? Answer that and the machine picks itself.Read the guide →Framingham rules · 2 minFramingham leaf pickup: 7 rules that keep your bags at the curb from being left behindThe City picks up leaves only on its own weeks, and only the right way. Here is the short list, straight from the City's rules.Read the guide →

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