Snow & Ice / Potholes

Snow & Ice Program

Snow and Ice operations are conducted on a 24-hour a day, 7 day a week schedule. The DPW's goal is to keep all main and secondary roads as safe for travel as possible during the storm and to have all travelways cleared within 4 hours of the end of snowfall. Cleanup Operations may take longer depending upon the volume of snow and conditions of equipment. If you need to contact us during the storm, please call us at 508-643-6611.

Become a Snow Plowing Contractor for the Town

Snow and Ice Plowing/Removal Contractor applications (PDF) are now available for download here. The applications may also be picked up at the DPW Administration Building at 49 Whiting Street.

Completed applications may be submitted or emailed to the DPW. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the DPW at 508-695-9621.

Potholes

The Department of Public Works has crews out daily repairing pot holes throughout the 160 miles of Town roadways. Typically, a reported pothole can be filled within 48 business hours, but may be delayed due to weather conditions, volume of potholes or availability of repair hot-mix. The process that causes potholes to form can also cause a pothole to re-form. Please note that speeding exacerbates the damage that is caused by a pothole, so please drive carefully

Public Works relies on constituents to report potholes. Potholes can be reported by calling the Department's main line at 508-695-9621 at any time. Please have the address or nearest cross-road for the location of the pothole. Potholes can also be reported online on the Big Red 311 page by using the SeeClickFix app.

Under Massachusetts General Laws, the Town is not responsible for any damage incurred by a pothole or other roadway hazards unless the Department has been notified of the hazard and has had a reasonable period of time to address it (typically 48 business hours).

What Causes A Pothole?

Water can seep under pavement through cracks or from the side of the road. Over time, the water can cause the material under the pavement to erode, causing the pavement to sink down and break. During the winter, the water under the pavement freezes, then thaws (contracting and expanding). This freeze/thaw cycle can cause the pavement to crack. Once cracked, the pavement deteriorates quickly under the weight of traffic and streets can seem to break out in potholes overnight. Potholes may be filled several times throughout the winter due to the freeze/thaw cycles repeating.

Freezing temperatures, followed by warm weather and rain and refreezing will cause potholes to be created.