Syracuse, N.Y. — On his last day as mayor, Ben Walsh praised the work of his snow plow drivers during the biggest storm in 80 years in the snowiest major city in America.
Then, he ordered workers to be ready for the next squalls, which are expected to start tonight, just before the New Year’s ball drops on his eight years in office.
The city’s snow plow service fumbled in a brief, six-inch dump Friday night and Saturday morning. City officials owned up to their poor plow management and promised to do better.
So when the next storm rolled in, Walsh said, they were prepared.
Tuesday, two feet of snow landed on Syracuse streets – the highest single-day total since 1946.
This time, Walsh said, the city public works commissioner had ordered enough snow plow drivers to work overtime. The maintenance staff had 18 big plows ready for service. They pulled in a dozen other smaller plows and trucks.
Residents, let down by the weekend service, stood ready to judge as they watched the snow fall. A video of a stuck plow circulated on social media.
Walsh was also watching. He saw a plow drive by his house on Austin Avenue at about 12:30 a.m. By the time the sun rose, the street was again covered in snow.
“If I had not literally seen the plow go down my street at 12:30 a.m., I would not have believed that a plow went down the street,” he said.
Walsh drove down Bellevue Avenue to City Hall. Later he drove his daughter to the East Side. All of the city’s main arteries were navigable, he said.
By Wednesday morning, the only places left to plow were narrow streets where at least 150 illegally parked cars blocked the way, he said.
“I think people take it for granted when they talk about how they remember it back in the day,” he said. “If you’re not 80 years old, you don’t remember a storm like we had yesterday.”
Walsh went on a short defensive rant about the community’s response to the latest storm.
He said he has made snow removal a priority in his administration. Eight years ago, the city’s fleet of serviceable large plows was depleted and aging fast. Just 13 plows were available ahead of major storms in 2020. He brought the number up to 23 with two more on order.
Syracuse Mayor Ben Walsh speaks before unveiling the names of three new snowplows at a press conference Tuesday, Dec. 16, 2025. The city’s Golden Snowball trophy sits on the podium. (Jeremy Boyer I [email protected])Jeremy Boyer I [email protected]
Walsh said he asked the staff to measure the streets, so they could alert people who live on the most narrow streets to be sure to park on the correct side during a storm.
During Walsh’s term, the city has expanded a program to plow sidewalks when it snows three inches or more. The city now plows 145 miles of sidewalks.
Walsh said he also hired a fleet manager and urged the city to hire subcontractors to help. Only one responded.
Hiring drivers has been difficult. Pay is lower than private contractors and the city has not negotiated a new contract with the union since 2021. He said they have been unable to find a way to offer incentives outside of the contract.
“It’s not as simple as just giving people a raise,” he said.
The city has ordered a full staff of snow plow drivers to report to work today and Thursday, which is New Year’s Day, and through the weekend, he said.
The city did not mandate enough drivers to work last weekend because they underestimated the expected snow fall. Walsh called that a “miscue.”
“Lesson learned there,” he said. “But we are (fully staffed) now and I think the proof is in the performance.”
At midnight, Walsh hands the snow plowing over to the next mayor, his current Deputy Mayor Sharon Owens.
What advice does he have for her?
“Just continue to raise the bar,” he said. “I’ve set the bar high.”
Drivers take note: There is a special Syracuse parking phenomenon tonight that affects which side of the street is legal for parking.
The city has odd-even parking, which means cars have to move to the opposite side of the street most days at 6 p.m.
But today is an odd day followed by another odd day – December 31 and January 1.
So that means cars that park on the odd side after 6 p.m. Wednesday can stay put on Thursday night.
Illegally parked cars could be ticketed or towed. Two dozen cars were towed Tuesday.
