Saturday Night Winter Storm Update From the City Manager
From Suzanne Ludlow, City Manager of Takoma Park
January 23, 2016 8:30 PM
Dear Residents,
The snow storm is winding down and we’ll need to wait until the morning to see just how much digging out we will need to do.
Right now, the roads are VERY slippery, VERY hazardous. Please be careful if you are outside. All of our snow plowing equipment is still running and our crews will be working through the night to make the roads safer for travel.
Tomorrow, besides continuing to work on clearing the roads, we will be addressing the areas we weren’t able to get to yet. We will have some contractors in to help clear small roads and cul-de-sacs (areas where our snow plows are too big to work well), and we will have additional Public Works crews out to start clearing sidewalks around our public facilities and some crosswalks and curb ramps.
As you begin snow clearing as well, please shovel onto lawns, tree lawns or as close to the curb as possible. Please help clear out around fire hydrants, bus stops, and sidewalk ramps at intersections. Please help each other clear, and re-clear, driveways that get blocked by plowed snow.
I have started hearing complaints of snowplows leaving a ridge of snow along driveways, parked cars, and sidewalk ramps. I want you to be aware that this will continue through at least tomorrow. We had so much snow that we cannot do the precise snowplowing that would otherwise be desirable.
As we face this severe storm together, we will not be citing people for not clearing the sidewalks in front of their homes right away, especially when it is clear that plows deposited the snow there. On Monday, I will be consulting with our Code Enforcement staff to determine when and how enforcement of our snow clearing law will begin. I will share my decision publicly so that the community knows what to expect.
On my evening conference call with staff, I asked for some good news. I was told that there would be sunshine tomorrow! But then the follow up comment was that the melting will mean we will have ice tomorrow night. Darn – I’d rather just focus on the sunshine!
As I write this, there still are 335 households without power in Takoma Park, including the homes of our Mayor and our Public Works Director. I send warm thoughts to all those without heat and hope Pepco can restore power quickly.
Still focusing on the sunshine to come!
Suzanne Ludlow
City Manager
Email: SuzanneL@takomaparkmd.gov
Phone: 301-891-7229
