Overview:
The Department of Public Works is made up of six divisions: Engineering, Fleet Maintenance, Highway, Sewer, Transfer Station and Tree & Park. More details, including “How to” access various services, can be found on their individual pages linked above.
DPW is responsible for the care and maintenance of Hingham’s public roadways, sidewalks, traffic islands, drainage systems, sewer lines, shade trees, parks, grounds, fields, beaches, the Town’s Recycling and Trash Transfer Facility, and snow and ice control on all public and certain private roadways. We also process sewer bills, transfer station stickers, and numerous permits.
To put that into perspective... There are approximately:
- 136 miles of public roads
- 20 miles of private roadways, and
- 10,000 public shade trees in town!
Two of DPW’s biggest projects in 2024 are:
- The Route 3A Sewer Main Replacement project
- Paving of Planters Field Lane and Wompatuck Road in the Crow Point neighborhood
Two of DPW’s biggest goals for 2024 are:
- For all Hingham residents to have updated Transfer Station Stickers
- To make it easier for residents to get their concerns to us via the MyHingham app
By the numbers:
Highway Maintenance Operations
- 136 miles of Town-owned roadways and 60 miles of sidewalks painted and marked, swept and cleaned, plowed and treated
- 5,384 drainage structures and outfalls inspected and maintained
- 3,100 traffic and street signs installed, repaired, and/or maintained
Tree & Park Division
- 110 parks and traffic islands maintained
- 10,000 shade trees cared for
- 1,000 acres of open space maintained
DPW Facility
- 11 Dump trucks with sanders and plows
- 11 ¾ ton pickup trucks with plows
- 4 Sidewalk plows
- 1 Front End Loader
- 1 Backhoe
- 2 Street Sweepers
- 1 Bucket Truck
- 1 Logging Material Handler
- 1 Chipper
- 5 Mowers
- 2 Rollers
Trash Transfer and Recycling Facility - 2023 activity
- 5,063 tons of household rubbish transferred
- 748 tons of bulky waste and demolition recycled
- 1,339 tons of mixed recyclables
- 3.7 tons of tires
- 1,490 gallons of motor oil
- 24 tons of electronics
- 164 tons of textiles
- 7 tons of batteries
- $32,505 raised from the Returnable Bottle-Can Program
- 26 different Hingham Youth Organizations received $22,655 and $9,850 went to the recycling fund from the Returnable Bottle-Can Program
Frequently Asked Questions:
How do I get a Transfer Station sticker?
Each Hingham household is entitled to one free Transfer Station sticker that must be renewed each year. Additional stickers are available for a $25 fee per household. All the information you need including the application is online at https://www.hingham-ma.gov/334/Transfer-Station-Stickers.
Where is the Transfer Station?
The Transfer Station is located on Sam Ryder Road off Hobart Street, and is open Thursday – Sunday, 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM, excluding holidays.
Is the Swap Shop at the Transfer Station open?
Yes! Swap Shop hours are Thursday – Sunday, 10:00 AM – 2:00 PM, weather permitting. Accepted and prohibited items can be found on the Swap Shop page. You must be a Hingham resident with a Transfer Station Sticker to access the Swap Shop.
Is my tree a public shade tree or a private tree?
If a shade tree is located either partially or entirely within the layout of a public road, it is a public shade tree, and is protected under M.G.L. Chapter 87, the Public Shade Tree Act.
As part of our efforts to make Town Government more accessible to residents, Hingham will spotlight each Town department throughout the year. Our goal is to educate citizens about the inner workings of their local administration and the many responsibilities it holds.