DPW: When It Snows
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When It Snows in the District

District of Columbia Snow Plan

The District of Columbia begins planning for winter weather months in advance. Equipment must be serviced, vehicles inspected, personnel trained, supplies ordered and snow removal routes evaluated to ensure readiness for the first flake - or the first icy downpour of freezing rain.

We have developed mobilization plans for winter weather events ranging in severity from a light snowfall to a full-blown blizzard. Each response plan will vary somewhat according to the weather forecast and changes in temperature. Other factors include the severity, length and number of successive storms.

As in other jurisdictions, public safety determines the priority for snow removal in the District. Clearing and salting efforts focus first on major roads, commuter thoroughfares and designated snow emergency routes. Streets that are narrow, steep or shaded receive special attention, as do those streets scheduled for next-day trash collection. Please be patient and allow sufficient time for snow operations to be implemented. View* Snow Emergency Route Maps.

The District's Snow Team is committed to faster completion of plowing and salting along major roads and residential streets, which in turn means more rapid return of normal traffic flow and earlier resumption of trash collection and other city services.

Read more about the District of Columbia Winter Snow Plan.


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