By Tiffany Williams –
Worcester is bracing for the season’s first major snowstorm, and the city isn’t taking any chances. Officials announced that a Declared Winter Parking Ban will go into effect at 11 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 1, 2025, setting off a scramble for residents to move their cars and prepare for the storm.
To ease the crunch, all municipal parking garages will be free to anyone who enters after 5 p.m. Monday and stays until the ban is lifted. The city warned that special-event rates will still apply where applicable, but encouraged drivers to use the Federal Plaza, Major Taylor, Pearl & Elm, Worcester Common, and Union Station garages while plows hit the streets.
Bulk waste drop-off is getting shut down on Wednesday, but sand pick-up and recycling at 1065 Millbury St. will stay open, with additional sand available at Albany Street and Clark Street before and after plowing. Leaf collection is also hitting the pause button on Tuesday as crews shift into storm-response mode.
Once the ban kicks in, Worcester drivers will be locked out of parking on either side of main arteries, bus routes, emergency routes, and downtown streets critical for traffic flow. Everywhere else, only the odd-numbered side of the street is fair game unless signs say otherwise. Residents unsure about their street’s rules can check online through the city’s winter parking lookup tool.
Towing and ticketing are on the table and likely to be enforced. The city is directing questions to Worcester 311, which can be reached by phone, email, website or app around the clock. Anyone hunting down a towed car will also need to go through 311.
Officials are telling residents to keep travel to a minimum during the storm and take it slow if they do head out. Drivers are urged to give plows plenty of space and expect longer travel times. Property owners are being reminded they have 10 hours after the storm ends to clear sidewalks of snow and ice, and those who can are asked to dig out fire hydrants and catch basins. The city made it clear that tossing snow back into the street is a big no-go.
City officials also noted that ALERTWorcester remains down and that updates will be pushed through social media as the storm unfolds. More details on parking bans, snow removal rules, winter sand locations, and safety tips can be found on the city’s website and at ready.gov.