Park View, D.C.

DDOT issued the following release today updating residents on where they are in getting the City back to normal.

District Crews Continue to Dig Out
While Looking Ahead to Tuesday Storm
Residential Streets Continue to be a Priority
Snow Emergency Lifted as of 9:30 am

(Washington, D.C.) – Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, along with DDOT Director Gabe Klein, and DPW Director William O. Howland, Jr., assured residents today that crews will continue to salt and plow neighborhood streets as a new snow storm threatens the DC area. The National Weather Service is forecasting 5-10 inches of snow for the District beginning on Tuesday afternoon. Mayor Fenty also lifted the snow emergency at 9:30 am today.

“As our crews head into their seventh shift we are now looking at another large system coming towards the District,” said Mayor Fenty. “Our current deployment is ahead of schedule but this new storm will impact our cleanup efforts. We will continue in the residential neighborhoods today and throughout the week as we anticipate more snow accumulation will need additional attention.”

The District’s deployment plan allows for major roadways to be plowed to pavement within 36-48 hours and those goals have been met as lanes on the majority of the city’s major routes were down to bare pavement on Monday morning. Crews are focusing efforts on neighborhood streets throughout the day today and on Tuesday. Snow team leaders will assess conditions as the new system approaches and preparations on already cleared streets will begin.

Crews were focusing efforts on salting and plowing continuously to clear residential streets within 60 hours of the end of the storm. This new storm system may impact that schedule as crews will need to pull back to main arteries, National Highway System roadways, bridges, and hilly areas to pre-treat in anticipation of more accumulations.

“We want to focus our efforts on our residential streets but with the new storm, we may need to move crews back out to the main arteries depending on when the snow begins falling,” said DDOT Director Klein. “Again, we ask people to stay off the streets as the more work we can get today and tomorrow the better off we will be before this new system hits the city.”

Nearly 270 pieces of equipment will continue to work in 12-hour shifts plowing, salting, and treating District roadways. DDOT and DPW have had 750 employees working throughout the storm and those crews will continue as removal efforts are underway.

In addition, the District Department of Transportation’s Urban Forestry crews have been removing and clearing fallen trees, branches, and limbs as part of the cleanup efforts as heavy snows burdened the city’s tree canopy.

“Our fleet personnel have been working non-stop to keep the equipment going,” said DPW Director Howland. “We have been working our trucks 24 hours a day since Friday, and our drivers and mechanics are in their seventh 12-hour shift and more.” He added, “We are collecting all trash, packed in dark colored plastic bags, from the front. Residents with front collections who use a Supercan or smaller can may use their cans or plastic bags, whichever is most comfortable for them. Residents with alley collections may use the plastic bags since this probably is more convenient.”

Snow removal efforts have also been put into effect as tons of snow need to be moved off highways, bridges, and city streets. Large pieces of construction equipment have been brought in to move snow to designated areas including behind DC General.

Important Reminders

* Property owners have 8 daylight hours after the end of a storm to clear sidewalks. Residents are reminded to please assist elderly and disabled neighbors. Also, take time when clearing sidewalks and take breaks when needed.
* District officials ask people to continue to stay off the roads in order to allow crews full access to the roadways.
* Residents should call the Mayor’s Call Center at 311 for non life-threatening situations and service requests and allow crews ample time to clear city streets once the storm has finished before requesting a plow on residential streets.

* Following the storm, immediately clear snow around fire hydrants and catch basins.
* Clear around drains on private property to allow proper drainage of water.
* When shoveling snow do not shovel the snow into the sidewalk or street. Put snow in the tree boxes or back on properties.

This entry was posted on February 8, 2010 at 1:45 pm and is filed under City services, traffic, weather. You can subscribe via RSS 2.0 feed to this post's comments.

Tags: DDOT, snow, streets