Snow emergency in Philadelphia continues, city schools virtual Tuesday
The great dig-out began Monday after a winter storm dumped over 9 inches of snow in Philadelphia, but the city's snow emergency will continue until further notice, Mayor Cherelle Parker said Monday.
The mayor said city offices and courts will remain closed Tuesday as crews continue to work on cleaning up city streets and sidewalks.
"We are not out of the woods, Philadelphia, and we are not claiming victory at all right now," Parker said. "That is why the snow emergency will continue until further notice."
Superintendent Tony Watlington said all School District of Philadelphia schools will be closed, but Tuesday will be a virtual learning day for students.
Watlington also said district offices and early childhood centers will be closed, and after-school programs should be canceled.
SEPTA General Manager Scott Sauer said buses are expected to be fully back on the road by the start of service Tuesday. He said as of Monday afternoon, 37 bus routes are back to full service.
Sauer added that the Regional Rail is still suspended but will return to service Tuesday on a Saturday schedule.
SEPTA will make a decision after 6 p.m. Monday on the trolley tunnel between 40th and Market streets, the GM said.
Many secondary and tertiary roads are still coated with snow and ice. Officials said they continue to plow and have even lifted and melted several tons of snow so far, but plows need to work.
The mayor urged Philadelphia residents to move their cars out of snow emergency routes.
"Not all of you, but some of you continue to park on those critical routes," Parker said. "We've had to tow nearly 350 vehicles since Sunday alone. We don't want to tow vehicles, so please help us."
"We're about to hit a deep freeze, very cold temperatures," Carlton Williams, director of Clean & Green Initiatives, said, "and so whatever we don't get could possibly freeze, and it makes it that much more difficult for us to plow frozen material.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
