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Dear Neighbor,
I want to share important updates with you that I received from the Executive today on the ongoing snow emergency as we deal with freezing temperatures. While I appreciate the hard work of District workers, the government’s response has fallen far short of what DC residents deserve. I know many residents are understandably angry and disappointed over streets that still need to be cleared and sidewalks that are impassable. We need clear communication and better coordination.
My office has heard from hundreds of residents with concerns about the snow and ice buildup and removal. We are continuing to elevate your concerns to DPW and we are working to get crews and plows to your streets as soon as possible.
Here’s what you need to know:
- New heavy equipment started being used last night for snow removal
- The Department of General Services is prioritizing snow removal for public safety buildings, 24/7 locations like shelters, government buildings
- A lot of alleys will not be passable until next week
- Residential trash/recycling/food waste collection is going to be very delayed due to conditions of alleys
- DPW is working on ideas to get trash from alleys, including deploying leaf crews not on snow removal to assist
- Tomorrow, we will have a better sense from meteorologists of the impacts of any potential storm this weekend
- Anticipate DCPS making a call about school tomorrow by 5 p.m. tonight
Ongoing snow removal efforts:
- 280 plows on DC streets with supervisors checking routes
- 30 pieces of heavy equipment and 90 dump trucks loading/picking up snow piles from corners and moving to RFK parking lots, starting downtown and moving outward
- Trucks salting blocks where removal is not possible yet
- My office is continuing to escalate Ward 2 blocks that have still not had snow removal or salt
Some good news:
- Very few isolated power outages
- Gas stations have fuel and grocery stores are starting to restock
- 8 Recreation Centers remain on standby but haven’t needed to use any for emergency warming and shelter space
- 50 new Snow Heroes joined in the last 24 hours to help seniors and people with disabilities shovel sidewalks, now over 600 total volunteers – Sign up to volunteer here.
Call 311 with Snow Needs
Please call 311 with requests if your block needs to be plowed and provide the block number.
You can find additional resources at snow.dc.gov and cold.dc.gov.
This will be one of the coldest stretches on record. Please call the shelter hotline at 202-399-7093 if you see a neighbor in-need outside.
Let’s look out for each other and please be sure to clear your sidewalk to allow for safe passage for all neighbors.
Yours in Service,
Brooke