Philadelphia Brings in Hundreds of Workers to Clear Snow

City leaders say more help is on the way to tackle residential streets still buried in snow and ice.

Published on Feb. 2, 2026

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Eight days after a major snowstorm, Philadelphia is still struggling to clear the streets, with many residential areas left dealing with packed-down snow and ice. City officials announced they will be bringing in 300 additional workers starting Tuesday to focus on clearing these neighborhood streets and breaking up the ice.

Why it matters

The slow pace of snow removal in Philadelphia has caused major disruptions, with many residents and commuters still having difficulty getting around the city. This highlights the challenges cities face in quickly clearing snow from both main thoroughfares and smaller residential streets after major winter storms.

The details

Philadelphia's efforts to clear the snow have drawn mixed reviews from residents. While some say the city has made good progress on main roads, others complain that smaller neighborhood streets have been neglected. City leaders acknowledge they've had to bring in specialized equipment like skid-steer loaders and front-end loaders to access these harder-to-reach areas. The prolonged cold weather has also compounded the problem, leading to little melt-off.

  • Eight days after a strong snowstorm hit Philadelphia.
  • Starting Tuesday, the city will be bringing in 300 additional workers to focus on residential neighborhoods.

The players

Chas Borger

A Philadelphia resident who says the streets around his home in Northeast Philly are still in bad shape.

Matt Sliger

An Uber and Lyft driver in Philadelphia who feels the city hasn't put enough effort into clearing snow from smaller neighborhood streets.

Cherelle Parker

The Mayor of Philadelphia, who announced the city will be bringing in 300 additional workers to help clear residential areas.

Carlton Williams

The director of Philadelphia's Office of Clean and Green initiatives, who discussed the specialized equipment the city has had to use to access smaller streets.

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What they’re saying

“It's terrible. These streets around here are really bad.”

— Chas Borger (CBS News Philadelphia)

“In Central Philly, yeah. But like the outsides, like Kensington area and up here where we are now, I don't feel they've put enough effort into those smaller areas.”

— Matt Sliger, Uber and Lyft driver (CBS News Philadelphia)

“300 more ambassadors who are on our streets in residential neighborhoods across the city working residential communities. Helping us to clear streets and break up that ice.”

— Cherelle Parker, Mayor of Philadelphia (CBS News Philadelphia)

What’s next

City officials did not provide a timeline on when the full snow cleanup effort will be completed, but stressed that crews will continue working until every street and sidewalk in Philadelphia is passable.

The takeaway

This snow removal challenge in Philadelphia highlights the difficulties cities face in quickly clearing snow from both major roads and smaller residential streets after major winter storms, especially when prolonged cold weather limits melting. The city's decision to bring in hundreds of additional workers to focus on neighborhood streets shows the importance of dedicating resources to ensure all areas of a city are accessible during severe weather events.