Typically after it snows, temperatures eventually get at least warm enough to melt some of the accumulated snowfall to help clear New York City streets.
But what happens when temperatures dip into the teens and single digits, meaning the snow not only doesn’t go anywhere, but ices over on roads and walkways?
The city breaks out the hot tubs.
When a foot of snow blanketed parts of NYC, people talked about how beautiful the winter wonderland was. Now, much of that snow has turned dirty, as it mixed with trash, dirt and even pet waste. NBC New York photojournalist Katie Barry talked with New Yorkers about their thoughts on the sloppy snow left behind.
The formerly pristine white snow has turned into a gray-brown slushy mess across the five boroughs, along with giant mountains of snow piled up wherever there is room. Plenty of cars are still buried, making life miserable for some drivers, and getting around as a pedestrian isn’t much easier.
NYC is hopes eight massive “hot tubs” will make getting around easier. The machines can melt up to 120 tons of snow per hour, the Department of Sanitation said.
So how does it work? The DSNY hauls piles of snow to five locations around the city — one in each borough — and then will drop the snow into the giant hot tubs. The melted snow then gets sent into the city’s sewer system, the Sanitation Department said.
It is the first time the melters have been activated since 2021. They are expected to be running for the next two weeks.
As for how effective the machines are, the acting DSNY commissioner believes the difference will noticeable quickly.
“Absolutely. If you go across the city you’ll notice differences we wanna make sure businesses and residents feel that,” said Acting DSNY Commissioner Javier Lojan.
But those who walk or commute by mass transit have been getting frustrated with the conditions on sidewalks and in intersections. Some lawmakers tell us they’ve been getting more and more complaints.
“I had parents telling me about children slipping and falling. Bus stops buried in snow,” said Queens State Assemblywoman Jenifer Rajkumar.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani said city agencies have been working around the clock to clear the snow, making major progress at bus stops and intersections. But the cold weather has been relentless, and making their jobs more difficult.
“One thing that has complicated their work has been the fact that this snowstorm has been followed by the kind of cold the city has not seen in at least eight years,” said Mamdani.
The mayor added that the Department of Transportation has cleared out more than 95% of the bus shelters that are their responsibility. Bus stops without a shelter are the responsibilities of the landlord or the homeowner.