Wilmington Residents Urged to Be Patient as City Clears Snow and Ice

Wilmington officials say it will take time to clear all residential streets after major winter storm.

Jan. 28, 2026 at 6:07pm

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Wilmington, Delaware experienced a major snowstorm over the weekend of January 24-25, dumping 9 inches of snow and ice on the city. City officials are urging residents to be patient as they work to clear the roads, prioritizing main thoroughfares first before moving to residential streets. Trash collection has been delayed, and some residents have taken snow removal into their own hands, which officials say can actually slow down the clearance process.

Why it matters

Wilmington's snow removal challenges are not unique, as neighboring cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore also faced similar issues after the storm. The sub-freezing temperatures have made the snow and ice more difficult to clear, and officials are working to manage resident expectations about the pace of the cleanup.

The details

City officials say the main priority is to clear "primary" routes like major avenues and boulevards first, before moving on to less-traveled residential streets. Some residents have dumped snow from sidewalks into the roads, which officials say violates city code and slows down the clearance process. City employees have been working around 60 hours since the storm to clear the streets, but the standard is for the roads to be "passable" rather than completely clear.

  • The snowstorm hit Wilmington over the weekend of January 24-25, 2026.
  • Trash collection has been delayed to the week of February 2, 2026.

The players

John Carney

The mayor of Wilmington, Delaware.

Daniel Walker

The deputy chief of staff for Wilmington Mayor John Carney.

Norman Mercado

A 76-year-old Wilmington native who helped dig out a neighbor's car.

Jose Rivera

A 32-year-old Wilmington native who was digging out the parking lot entrance at the Latin American Community Center.

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What they’re saying

“The main reason is to deploy more plows to clear the roads as the primary objective.”

— Daniel Walker, Deputy Chief of Staff, Wilmington Mayor's Office

“Exercise patience. There is no expectation that it will be completely clear.”

— Daniel Walker, Deputy Chief of Staff, Wilmington Mayor's Office

“There's a lot of stuff that some people just don't understand. They want everything done perfectly, and sometimes you can't.”

— Norman Mercado, Wilmington Resident

“They only worry about the main roads. It's unfair, how come these neighborhoods don't get it?”

— Jose Rivera, Wilmington Resident

What’s next

The city plans to continue prioritizing main roads before moving to residential streets, and officials say they expect the cleanup process to take some time.

The takeaway

Wilmington's snow removal challenges highlight the difficulties cities face in clearing roads after major winter storms, especially in hilly areas with tight residential streets. While residents may be frustrated, officials are urging patience as they work to make the roads passable.