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DC Snow Team To Deploy Tues., Feb. 4 For Freezing Rain Storm

Tuesday, February 4, 2014
Property owners are encouraged to apply abrasives to sidewalks before storm hits.

(Washington, DC)  The District Snow Team (Department of Public Works and Department of Transportation) will deploy more than 175 trucks to fight tonight’s predicted ice storm.  Crews will be on their routes at 9PM to spread salt.  Already, crews have been applying a mixture of brine and beet juice to bridges, ramps, other elevated structures and challenging side streets to reduce the opportunity for ice to bond with the street.  The forecast for this evening calls for a 90% chance of rain or freezing rain from 9:30PM until 2-3AM Wednesday, which is the critical period with a low temperature of 32F. Wednesday’s high is 52F. 

“Freezing rain is the most dangerous type of winter weather.  We can push snow out of the roadway, but ice, coupled with freezing temperatures, requires constant treatment with salt,” said DPW Director William O. Howland, Jr.  “Fortunately, Wednesday’s high temperature will be well above freezing, but until that happens, we urge everyone to travel cautiously whether on foot, bicycle or by car.” 

DPW is continuing to collect holiday trees from residents whose trash and recycling are collected by DPW.  Trees should be placed where their trash and recyclables are collected.  DPW does not collect trash/recyclables/holiday trees from residences with four or more living units.  These properties should have a private hauler handle their solid waste collections. 

Winter Weather Safety and Preparedness Tips:  Property owners are asked to treat their sidewalks with an abrasive such as non-clumping kitty litter, a deicer or rock salt.  This snow season, the Snow Team is testing the effectiveness of pet-safe deicer on bridges with pedestrian sidewalks.  Assist elderly or disabled neighbors with clearing their sidewalks. Also, for plow drivers’ safety, “Don’t crowd the plow.”  Residents are encouraged to go to snow.dc.gov for updates before, during and after winter storms, and for tips to get one’s home and family prepared for inclement weather.  Residents also may sign up at alert.dc.gov to receive emergency alerts and notifications from Alert DC.