Featured image: The Davis Square intersection in Somerville. Photo: 4300streetcar via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 4.0).
Somerville street sweeping continues through Dec. 31, 2026, and the city has already set the snow emergency rule for winter 2026-27: during a declared emergency, residents park on the even-numbered side of the street unless signs say otherwise. Trash and recycling pickup also runs one day late after each city holiday. This guide collects the City of Somerville’s official rules and 2026-27 dates for street sweeping, snow emergencies and parking, and the trash holiday schedule.
Everything below comes from City of Somerville pages listed in the Sources section, checked on Oct. 22, 2026. Somerville 311 can answer questions at 617-666-3311.
Somerville street sweeping: season, signs and fines
The sweeping season runs from April 1 to Dec. 31 each year. The 2026 season began on Wednesday, April 1, so residents should expect posted sweeping on their streets through the end of December, then a winter break until April 1, 2027.
- How schedules work: each street follows a recurring pattern shown on its signs, such as the first and third Thursday of each month, so drivers can plan ahead.
- Which side: on a sweeping day, move your car off the side of the street named on the sign.
- Fine: the penalty for not complying is a $50 ticket, and the city says vehicles that are not moved may also be towed.
- Reminders: the city’s Waste Wizard tool lets you look up your street and sign up for sweeping notifications. The city calls these a courtesy service that can have technical problems, so the posted sign is what counts.
The city says the program keeps streets cleaner and lowers the risk of flooding and icing caused by clogged storm drains, which matters most in late fall when leaves pile up at the curb.
Somerville snow emergency parking for winter 2026-27
Somerville uses an odd-even rule tied to the year a winter begins. Because the winter of 2026-27 starts in an even-numbered year, parking during a snow emergency is allowed only on the even-numbered side of the street. A small number of streets have posted exceptions, and those signs take priority.
- Time to move: once an emergency is declared, drivers have four hours to move to the even side or to a municipal lot open for resident use.
- Municipal lots: city-owned lots, including those at city buildings and metered lots in business districts, are open during emergencies. School lots are not. Cars must leave city lots within two hours after the emergency ends, and the city warns that emergencies can end at any time, including during work hours.
- Meters: meter fees and time limits are not enforced during an emergency, as long as the metered space is on the correct side. The rule against parking in one spot for more than 48 hours is also paused.
- Tufts option: residents of Wards 6 and 7 can park free in Tufts University’s Dowling Garage, 419 College Ave. in Medford, if the vehicle is registered in advance with Tufts’ snow emergency parking form. Space is first come, first served, and cars must leave within two hours after the emergency ends.
Fines, towing and space savers
The city lists $100 fines for parking on the wrong side, blocking a tow zone or plow route, parking within 10 feet of a hydrant or fire lane, and parking within 20 feet of an intersection. Towed cars cost $132 to release, plus $35 a day in storage, and owners must call Stephen’s Towing at 781-395-0808. Cars go to the Dilboy Stadium lot, 110 Alewife Brook Parkway, and are moved to Medford if not picked up. Space savers are prohibited, and the city may collect and dispose of them.
After the storm
Permit parking enforcement resumes within 24 hours after an emergency ends, and the 48-hour rule resumes within 48 hours. Residents must dig out their cars within 48 hours. The city’s Teen Snow Shoveling Program can connect residents who need help with shoveling.
How Somerville announces a snow emergency
The city sends phone, text and email alerts to people registered for City Alerts, posts the status at somervillema.gov/snow, and turns on flashing blue lights at 22 key intersections. Notices also appear on city cable channels and social media. Alerts are available in several languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, Haitian Creole, Nepali and Chinese.
Somerville trash and recycling holiday schedule, 2026-27
On each city holiday, trash and recycling pickup is delayed by one day for the rest of that week. The city’s remaining 2026 dates and its 2027 dates are:
| Holiday | Date (one-day delay) |
|---|---|
| Veterans Day | Wednesday, Nov. 11, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving Day | Thursday, Nov. 26, 2026 |
| Thanksgiving Friday | Friday, Nov. 27, 2026 |
| Christmas Day | Friday, Dec. 25, 2026 |
| New Year’s Day | Friday, Jan. 1, 2027 |
| Martin Luther King Jr. Day | Monday, Jan. 18, 2027 |
| Presidents’ Day | Monday, Feb. 15, 2027 |
| Patriots’ Day | Monday, April 19, 2027 |
Under state law, a holiday that falls on a Sunday is observed on Monday, the city notes.
Everyday set-out rules
Carts may go to the curb after 4 p.m. the day before pickup and must be out by 7 a.m. on collection day. Empty barrels must be off the sidewalk by 7 p.m. Do not leave bags on the ground beside barrels; one extra bag may sit on top of a barrel at the curb. Recycling is collected weekly on the same day as trash, and it is single stream, so items do not need sorting. Missed pickups must be reported by 3:30 p.m. the day after scheduled collection.
Additional details
- Nearby city guides: Cambridge snow emergency parking ban guide and Boston snow emergency parking rules.
- Transit riders can check planned closures in our MBTA November 2026 service changes guide.
- Find local businesses in our Somerville business directory.
- The city’s disclaimer says a missed alert does not excuse a ticket or tow, so check signs on your street during storms.
More local guides: all Boston Report local guides and the Boston Snow Day & Storm Center.
Sources
- City of Somerville: Street Sweeping
- City of Somerville: Street Sweeping, Yard Waste, and Hazardous Waste Services Restart in April (2026)
- City of Somerville: Snow Info, Emergency Policies, Parking Rules, Shoveling Requirements
- City of Somerville: Trash and Recycling Holiday Schedule
- City of Somerville: Trash and Recycling Information
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