Mayor Wu says Boston made progress dealing with rats, trash, street issues this year
From filling potholes to clearing trash and cracking down on the city's rat population, Boston city officials say they're doubling down on core quality-of-life issues as 2025 wraps up.
Mayor Michelle Wu said Tuesday the city has made progress responding to the everyday concerns residents notice first: Rats, trash, and the condition of streets and sidewalks.
"Boston families deserve a government that fixes problems and follows through," said Wu.
"It's the stuff that truly impacts our residents on the day to day," said Boston City Councilor Enrique Pepen.
260,000 calls answered
Wu said Boston's 311 non-emergency helpline answered more than 260,000 calls this year, handling complaints ranging from potholes to missed trash pickups. Adding reports of missed trash collection are down more than 12% from last year.
"Our teams continue to close the vast majority of missed trash cases within 24 hours," said Dennis Roache, Boston's Superintendent of Waste Reduction.
Officials also highlighted an intensified effort to curb the rodent population plaguing areas around the city. The city has used new technology, including sensors to track rat movements, and installed new trash barrels aimed at cutting off food sources.
"2025 was not a good year for rats in Boston," said Dion Irish, the city's Chief of Operations. "2026 won't be any better."
Boston says crews have filled more than 4,000 potholes and resurfaced more than 50 miles of roads this year, more than double the 24 miles resurfaced in 2024.
But sidewalk repairs remain a challenge. Following WBZ's recent reporting on broken sidewalks along State Street, officials acknowledged a significant backlog but said crews have repaired 37,000 feet of sidewalks around the city in 2025.
Residents are urged to continue reporting issues through 311 as the city works through remaining repairs.
"No excuses at the city level," Wu said. "Our residents expect and demand the very best from us, and it is an honor to try and deliver that every single day and to keep improving what we are doing."