PHILADELPHIA (WPVI) -- Nearly a week after a major snowstorm blanketed the city, many of Philadelphia's narrow streets remain clogged with snow and ice, leaving residents struggling to navigate tight spaces and dig out parking spots.
With piles of plowed snow crowding curbs and temperatures staying well below freezing, frustration is mounting.
In neighborhoods like Spring Garden and Grays Ferry, drivers are carefully maneuvering down streets where snowbanks leave little room to pass or park. After days of bitter cold, many say they've had enough.
"It cuts like a knife, this wind and cold," said Jon Rivkind of Boca Raton, Florida.
Rivkind is visiting his daughter Zoe in Philadelphia, though the timing couldn't have been worse.
"It's painfully cold," said Zoe Rivkind, who lives in Spring Garden.
The freezing temperatures have derailed most of their sightseeing plans.
"Three times I've been outside this weekend," Zoe said, describing how the cold has kept her indoors.
Even short trips can be treacherous.
"It's definitely super slippery and the ice is rock now, so it's crazy. You can get hurt," she said.
While Jon Rivkind is counting down the hours until he returns to Florida, which is also experiencing an unusual cold snap, he says this visit has been especially harsh.
"I can't wait to get out of here. It's freezing. It's horrible," he said.
For Philadelphia residents, though, there's no escape - only more digging out.
In Grays Ferry, some neighbors are still clearing their cars and sidewalks days after the storm.
"This was a big snowfall," said Michael Giulioni of South Philadelphia. "I think it was worse after it first fell and they plowed it and you were plowed in, and then it froze up a bit."
Giulioni is among many residents still carving out parking spaces buried under heavy, frozen snow.
"It's heavy, yeah, and it's dirty with the street grime," he said.
On another South Philadelphia block, Skye Williams spent the day helping his grandmother chip away at a stubborn patch of ice to free up her parking spot.
"We should have did it earlier," Williams said.
His grandmother says she's grateful for the help.
While temperatures are expected to inch above freezing later this week, residents shouldn't expect a quick thaw.
With compacted snow and thick ice still lining many streets, winter's grip on Philadelphia is far from over.
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