Buffalo, NY(WBEN) The City of Buffalo has released its 2026-27 snow plan for the upcoming season. Mayor Ryan says the city has budgeted $2.7 million for contracted snow removal — nearly five times last year’s allocation — and purchased smaller tractors equipped with snow blowers to better serve narrow neighborhood streets. Improved plow routes, moving from paper maps to digital plow routes, and additional salt supply agreements will help our workers respond more efficiently throughout the winter.
City officials say extreme weather is the new normal. "Continual review of ongoing operations and current weather conditions may dictate a change in tactics or a shift to an alternative approach not specifically outlined in this Snow Plan. The DPW will adjust its response as required during the event," says Ryan in the report.
“Buffalo residents deserve reliable service on their streets, and being better prepared for winter is a big part of fixing the basics,” Mayor Sean Ryan said. “We are putting more resources behind snow removal and investing in equipment tailored to our city’s needs. We are also giving our crews the tools and resources they need to work more efficiently. These are practical improvements to help people get where they need to go and keep our neighborhoods accessible when winter weather arrives.”
The 2026–2027 snow plan includes the following improvements to the previous plan:
Better equipment for side streets. The City has purchased five smaller John Deere tractors to be equipped with large snow blowers. They are intended for some of Buffalo’s narrowest side streets, where traditional plows have less room to maneuver.
Upgraded snowplow tracking. A new mapping system will use GPS data to give DPW staff more accurate, timely information about the location and progress of City snow-clearing equipment. The plan also provides for an upgraded public map showing when City snow-clearing services were last recorded on individual streets with additional features including lane by lane breakdowns.
Additional salt supply agreements. The City has established two purchase agreements to procure a minimum of 25,000 tons of salt and is pursuing a third to reduce the risk of supply disruptions.
More support for keeping plow routes accessible. The Parking Department has added personnel and tow trucks to help address vehicles blocking snow-clearing operations. Plow drivers can now immediately contact the Parking Department about vehicles impeding snow removal operations with the touch of a button.
Winter maintenance of bike infrastructure. The plan calls for clearing protected bike lanes and off-street bike paths following residential plowing. The Engineering Division will equip pickup trucks and smaller vehicles with plows to support this work.
Earlier coordination and closer review during storms. The plan formalizes daily operational briefings and situation reports, allows the Emergency Operations Center to activate before a formal emergency declaration, and adds University at Albany Mesonet forecasting information to support preparations.
“Responding to winter weather is one of the most important things we do as a City Government,” said Public Works Commissioner Nolan Skipper. “This plan showcases the huge amount of work our entire team has done over the past year to ensure we’re prepared to keep Buffalo residents safe this winter season.”
The City is also working to rebuild its plow fleet, with 10 new vehicles on order, including six that could be available during the latter half of the winter season. The plan identifies a longer-term goal of maintaining an operational fleet of 34 dual-axle trucks on a five-year replacement cycle.
The plan also maintains the goal of completing at least one plow pass on every residential street within 24 hours after a snow event ends. Crews prioritize primary and secondary streets, including bus routes and access to emergency facilities, before transitioning to residential streets. Continuing snowfall, extreme conditions, and vehicles blocking streets can affect that timeline.
Public information will be shared through BUFFALERT, local media, and City communication channels. The plan also calls for coordination through Erie County’s Community Organizations Active in Disaster network to help community groups share critical information with residents, including immigrant and non-English-speaking communities.
Residents are encouraged to follow posted parking restrictions, monitor City announcements during winter weather, and sign up for BUFFALERT by texting their ZIP code to 38276 or visiting www.buffalony.gov/buffalert.
City says extreme weather is the new norma
City says extreme weather is the new norma
