SCRANTON, LACKAWANNA COUNTY (WBRE/WYOU) — People who live in some parts of Scranton are frustrated with the snow removal process from that winter storm more than a week ago. Many of them are demanding answers as to why some side streets are still snow-covered.

28/22 News Reporter Connor Coar was at the city council meeting on Tuesday.

This week’s city council meeting drew a large number of Scranton residents to comment on a similar issue: the slow snow removal in and around the city.

Confused, angry, and seeking answers, concerned residents in Scranton voiced their frustrations during Tuesday’s city council meeting following last week’s snowstorm.

I think it is a communication issue between the city council, DPW, and the administration, and I do have confidence that the administration will come up with a plan,” stated Scranton resident Barb O’Malley.

One resident, whom 28/22 News spoke with, stated that after the snowstorm, he had to re-shovel his sidewalk multiple times because snow from the road kept being pushed back onto it.

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“Its very frustrating. I’m not a young man anymore. I don’t mind doing it once, but if I have to go multiple times, that’s a problem,” voiced Les Spindler of Scranton.

There is currently no snow emergency plan requiring cars to be removed from the sides of streets in Scranton, unlike in some other communities. For example, the city of Hazleton has a plan in place.

It states:

From the time snow begins to fall until 48 hours after the snowfall has stopped, no motor vehicle of any kind shall be permitted to park within the city of Hazleton.

City of Hazleton Article 2, Section 325-14

The legislation also states that in a year like 2026, vehicles are not allowed to park on the same side as even-numbered house numbers.

But could a plan like that work in Scranton?

“I think it’s a great idea, but I don’t think that it’s an idea that will work in Scranton. I can speak for the Hill Section. There’s no place for us to put our cars if we move them,” reasoned

However, Spindler says he remembers a time when Scranton had a plan like Hazelton’s and wonders whether the city could revisit that idea before the next big storm.

“Back in the 90s, we had two blizzards that left the city crippled, but I think it wasn’t as bad as it is now, and we had half the snowfall we have now back then,” recalled Spindler.

City council said they requested a post-storm report to see what they can do better in future snowstorms, but they have not received one yet from Mayor Paige Cognetti’s office.

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