(Washington, DC) Mayor Adrian M. Fenty, District Department of Transportation Director Gabe Klein, and Department of Public Works Director William O. Howland Jr. announced today that District snow crews are treating city streets starting this afternoon and will plow, if accumulated snow warrants, throughout Wednesday morning.

The National Weather Service is forecasting between 4-7 inches of snow for the DC area beginning around rush hour on Tuesday and ending during early morning hours on Wednesday.

“This storm is forecasted to start during evening rush and end during morning rush,” said Mayor Fenty. “Crews will be out all night treating residential and major streets simultaneously and plowing any accumulated snow, however, motorists need to be prepared, take additional time, and think about alternate transportation.”

High temperatures for Tuesday are only anticipated to reach the upper 30s and then drop below freezing and into the upper 20s this evening.

District crews including DDOT and DPW started out at 4pm this afternoon to treat roadways then plow as snow accumulates. Full deployment will be in effect with more than 180 pieces of equipment in use.

“This has been an unprecedented winter with more storms on the way,” said DDOT Director Klein. “The crews are up to the challenge but remember to please give them room to work and time to clear the roadways. If you do not need to be out later tonight, please stay off the roads or take transit.”

“Wednesday morning we want children and adults to get to school or work safely, so we urge business and residential property owners to treat their sidewalks today and clear their sidewalks after the end of the storm,” said DPW Director Howland. “We also would like residents to assist elderly and disabled neighbors with their sidewalks.” Director Howland added that Wednesday’s trash and recycling collections may be affected by the storm, so residents should listen to the news for any announcements.

Residents and visitors are encouraged to park closely to curbs, particularly in neighborhoods with narrow streets, to allow plows enough room to get through.

Residents and commuters should plan for the morning rush hour by possibly alternating drive times and leave later in the morning, telecommute, use transit such as bus or Metrorail, allow plenty of drive time, check windshield wipers to make sure they are working properly, make sure fluids are full and tire pressure is good.