With the first flakes beginning to fall, county snow removal crews are getting ready to tackle yet another significant snow storm. The National Weather Service is calling for 3-6 inches of snow, with the heaviest snowfall between 10:00 PM and 4:00 AM tonight.
The county says about 45 snow plows will be put into service tonight. Crews will work in 12-hour shifts to try to get streets cleared in time for the morning rush. Since first priority is given to the most heavily-traveled roads, expect most residential streets to be at least partially snow-covered.
With forecasters talking about the possibility of another major snowfall this weekend, there’s also the issue of the snow removal budget. VDOT is already $5 million over its $27 million budget in Northern Virginia, according to WTOP. Arlington’s annual snow removal budget is approximately $1 million, county spokesperson Shannon Whalen-McDaniel said today. No word yet on how much has been spent so far.
The county’s press release on tonight’s snow preps is after the jump.
ARLINGTON, VA – Arlington County is bracing for its third winter storm of the season today with a forecast for three to six inches of snow overnight and into Wednesday morning.
Road crews will work in 12-hour shifts around the clock to treat and clear County-maintained streets. The County prioritizes roads focusing first on: snow emergency routes, arterial streets, main bus routes, and roads to hospitals, fire stations, Metro stations, the police station and local schools. Once these priority routes are clear, crews will work their way into residential streets.
“County road crews are working hard to keep roads clear during and after snow events, and to repair potholes in between storms,” said Bob Griffin, director for the Department of Environmental Services. “We will have all our snow-fighting equipment back out on the roads tonight. We ask residents to stay off the roads when possible to help our crews plow efficiently. We appreciate the public’s patience and understanding.”
View snow plow routes and see how roadways are prioritized. The County maintains 60 miles each of arterial and collector streets and 256 miles of residential streets. Find answers to commonly asked snow-plowing questions in the County’s new video.