(Washington, DC) – Today, members of the District’s snow team began a dry run of operations to refamiliarize themselves with their routes and to reassess equipment and technology. The DC Snow Team, led by the Department of Public Works (DPW) with support from the Department of Transportation (DDOT), consists of more than 800 employees and a 228-vehicle fleet, including 153 heavy plows and 75 light plows.
The Snow Team, which also includes the Department of General Services (DGS), Homeland Security and Emergency Management Agency (HSEMA), and the Mayor’s Office on Volunteerism and Partnership (Serve DC), prepares for winter weather year-round, with snow-plow operator simulation exercises beginning in the summer.
“Between leaf collection, winter weather, and regular day-to-day operations, we know this is a busy time of year for our Snow Team, and we’re grateful for all the planning and practice that goes into a smooth response,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser. “As we continue to plan for the winter, we also encourage residents to plan ahead, join the volunteer Snow Team, and be ready to work together to keep our community safe when winter weather arrives.”
The simulation began on Monday with a mock weather scenario provided by the National Weather Service. Each day, the team adjusted their strategies according to new forecasts. On Friday, plow drivers navigated their typical routes to identify potential obstacles they could face during a real snowstorm. Administrative, supervisory, logistics, and IT staff also carried out their roles at various locations, including salt storage facilities.
“All week, our supervisors have been creating snow plans based on a variety of scenarios, our drivers have been running routes, on those plans and our IT team has been fine-tuning our technology,” said DPW Director Timothy Spriggs, adding that the preparation process will continue throughout the season. “The DC Snow Team is constantly in motion to ensure a seamless response to whatever Mother Nature throws our way. We’re not just getting ready, we’re staying ready.”
DPW will once again test Calcium Magnesium Acetate as an eco-friendly pretreatment alternative. Past results have been inconclusive due to warmer than usual pavement temperatures. This year’s test will conclude the pilot.
DPW is continually exploring greener alternatives in its practices to promote sustainability and environmental responsibility, particularly when it comes to helping to reduce the District’s carbon footprint. The DC Government was recently ranked eighth among the top 50 Green Fleets in North America by the North American Fleet Association’s Fleet Management Association—the vehicle fleet industry’s largest membership association. This year’s snowplows include 69 100% biodiesel trucks and 22 electric pick-up trucks for supervisors, which were the first four-wheel drive, all-electric vehicles in the team’s fleet last year.
In preparation for winter, residents are encouraged to join Serve DC’s Volunteer Snow Team, which helps clear sidewalks for registered seniors who are 65 and older and residents with access functionality needs. Volunteers can sign-up at servedc.galaxydigital.com. Residents are reminded that they can call the Shelter Hotline at (202) 399-7093 to request free, accessible transportation to a shelter for themselves or someone else, including individuals experiencing homelessness.
For more information about DC’s snow program, preparing for winter weather, or to see where District Snow Team plows are during a storm, visit snow.dc.gov.
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