Waiting on plow? Dig yourself out

PHILADELPHIA. The second worst snowstorm in Philadelphia’s recorded history welcomed John Hutchison to Fishtown over the weekend.
Hutchison, 37, has lived on the 2200 block of East Susquehanna Avenue for just three months, but his time living in Mount Airy, near the Art Museum and by Temple University has led him to a conclusion.

“All of those neighborhoods were better plowed,” he said.
An estimated 23 inches of snow landed on Philadelphia Saturday, a historic total that forced the city to focus on emergency routes, like Broad Street, said Streets Department Commissioner Carlena Tolson.

“We’re going to fight until the fight is won,” she said. “But we have to focus on the streets that carry the largest number of vehicles.”
After the streets department brings emergency routes under control, their 360 plow trucks move to primary, secondary and, finally, residential, or tertiary streets.

It’s something that many residents of Fishtown have come to know well.
“If my street even gets plowed, it has to be the last one in the whole city,” said Ed Lesinski, 65, who has lived on the 2000-block of Sepviva Street for more than 30 years.

Renee Arcinese, 36, a lifelong resident of the riverward neighborhood, offered her own solution while cleaning off her car on Norris Street. “I just expect the city won’t plow. You have to do it on your own.”