District Snow Team Deployed Ahead of Sunday’s Forecasted Snow Showers
Photo courtesy of Mayor Bowser
Saturday, January 4, 2025
Roadway Pretreatment Begins Sunday at 8:00 p.m. on All Snow Emergency Routes and Bridges; Pedestrians, Motorists, and Bicyclists Should Be Mindful of Possible Icy Conditions
(Washington, DC) – In preparation for predicted snow showers, Mayor Muriel Bowser will deploy the District Snow Team at noon on Sunday, January 5. Pre-treatment brining operations will begin Sunday evening at 8:00 p.m. on all snow emergency routes, including the National Highway System.
The National Weather Service (NWS) has issued a forecast for snow and a wintry mix on Sunday, January 5, expected to begin between 8:00 p.m. and midnight. The storm is expected to bring six to eight inches of snow, potentially with freezing rain. Impacts are expected to continue into Monday. As temperatures drop, conditions may lead to icy roadways, posing challenges for safe travel and snow removal operations. Further updates will be provided as forecasts become clearer.
The snow team will engage in a full deployment on Sunday, consisting of 136 heavy plows (six- and 10-wheel dump trucks) to treat highways, streets, bridges, ramps, and other elevated structures, and 82 light plows (pick-up trucks) to treat smaller streets. Bike lanes across the District are serviced by the District Department of Transportation (DDOT). DDOT’s bike-lane clean up team clears the protected bike lanes after the District Snow Team clears general motor vehicle travel lanes citywide. Protected bike lanes are usually cleared six to 24 hours after motor vehicle travel lanes.
Residential and commercial property owners are encouraged to spread abrasives (e.g., salt, pet-friendly deicer, or non-clumping kitty litter) on their sidewalks before precipitation begins to reduce the possibility of icing and to prevent slips and falls.
Although residents may experience delays in trash collection, they are advised to place their Department of Public Works (DPW) serviced trash, recycling, and food waste bins out for collection before the precipitation begins to avoid risk of falls. Leaf collection will be suspended during the snow deployment.
The Department of General Services (DGS) deployed the snow team at noon on Saturday, January 4, to pretreat all DC government properties, including walkways, driveways and entryways at police stations, fire houses, Department of Human Services (DHS) shelters, senior wellness centers, DC Public Schools (DCPS) buildings, and Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) sites. Based on the performance of storm, DGS is prepared to move into removal, cleanup, and post-treatment operations.
Residents and commuters are encouraged to register for important weather alerts from the District by signing up for AlertDC at alert.dc.gov. For preparedness tips and additional details on the District’s snow response, visit the Snow Season FAQ Guide.