Sunday Morning Winter Storm Update From the City Manager

From Suzanne Ludlow, City Manager of Takoma Park

January 24, 2016 9:00 AM

Dear Residents,

Today is a day to start digging out!

We have extra crews in today to help our Public Works staff clear roads, areas around public facilities, key crosswalks, etc.

The Snow Angels will be out in force clearing sidewalks of people who signed up with the program. If you see them out and are inclined to lend a hand, we encourage you to do so! And, if you know of someone close by who is unable to remove snow themselves, please consider being a good neighbor and offering assistance.

As you clear cars parked on streets, please try not to leave too much snow in the travel lane. And, if you move and re-park your car, please pull as close to the curb as possible to give room to snowplows passing by.

It’s still a good idea to keep from driving on the roads. They remain hazardous. And, roads across the region remain unplowed, so it’s hard to go anywhere. The biggest problem is that the more cars that are out on the road, the harder it is to get the clearing work done.

Our Police Department and Public Works staff have been doing a great job helping others during this storm. Some of the stories are:

• Officers regularly checked on a homeless woman who refused to go to a shelter. They brought her hot beverages and food.
• An airport shuttle driver whose vehicle was stuck on Piney Branch Avenue spent two days in the Police Lobby. He was provided with food during the time and, when asked if there was anything else he needed, he said “a shower!” Police staff found supplies for him and escorted him to the shower in the Police locker room. Public Works is helping get his vehicle freed so he can go home to Glen Burnie today.
• A couple called and told the Police Department that the woman’s water had broken and they needed to get to Shady Grove Hospital to have a baby. Public Works crews cleared their front porch for safety and a Police officer drove the couple to Shady Grove Hospital. (This was during the time that Governor Hogan closed I-270 to all but emergency vehicles.)
• While at Washington Adventist Hospital on another matter, officers assisted a man in the ER who needed to get home to Chillum, and provided some supplies to a family with an 18-month old.

For today, please give us a chance to get to your roads. Today is our first day to plow without blowing snow, so we hope to make real progress. As I mentioned yesterday, our plows will continue to leave snow blocking driveways and some sidewalks, due to the amount of snow we are clearing. It’s unfortunate, but it’s the only way to get the job done.

If you have snowplowing complaints or areas that need attention, please email them to:pwmailbox@takomaparkmd.gov. You can copy me on your emails if you wish (suzannel@takomaparkmd.gov). If it’s just that your street needs more snowplowing done, please wait. We will be continuing operations over the next few days until we do every street, curb to curb.

As you shovel, follow health precautions so that you don’t over-do. My husband and I will be shoveling, resting, resting, shoveling, resting and more resting. (Sure wish our son wasn’t away at college!) Please, please be careful.

Happy Sunny Sunday!

Suzanne Ludlow
City Manager
Email: SuzanneL@takomaparkmd.gov
Phone: 301-891-7229