Mayor Ryan Credits DPW Response As City Passes First Major Snowfall Of 2026

BUFFALO, NY — Mayor Sean M. Ryan today praised the City of Buffalo’s Department of Public Works for its coordinated and effective response to the first significant snowstorm of 2026, citing preparation, round-the-clock work by crews, and a renewed focus on delivering core city services residents depend on.

“Snowstorms are a basic test of whether city government is working, and Buffalo passed that test today,” Mayor Ryan said. “Under the leadership of Commissioner Nolan Skipper, our Department of Public Works team was prepared, responsive, and focused on keeping people safe. This is the kind of proactive and dependable service the City of Buffalo strives to deliver to residents every day.”

City crews began pre-salting roads at approximately 3:00 p.m. Wednesday and transitioned to full plowing operations later that evening as conditions worsened. Over 1,000 lane miles have been plowed in less than 24 hours. In the last 12 hours, the City has serviced more than 80% of Buffalo’s streets with a combination of salting and plowing, and crews remain on pace to reach full citywide coverage within a 24-hour window by the end of the day. The New York State Department of Transportation also assisted with salting and plowing on select main roadways through the City’s shared services agreement.

Residents can track snow removal progress citywide using the Buffalo’s interactive Snow Plowing Status map, which shows which individual streets have been plowed within the last six, 12, or 24 hours. Note: Snow removal data is transmitted from the Department of Public Works in real time; however, due to vendor limitations, information displayed on the map reflects a 90-minute delay.

The City follows a priority-based plowing strategy focused first on primary roads, followed by secondary roads, and then residential streets. Timing may vary depending on street type, adjacent road conditions, and compliance with parking restrictions. In some cases, service may be delayed if operators determine a street cannot be accessed safely.

TRACK CITYWIDE SNOW REMOVAL PROGRESS AT WWW.BUFFALONY.GOV/SNOW