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D.C. Department of Public Works - 2000 14th
Street, N.W.. Washington, D.C. 20009 - (202) 939-8000 FOR
IMMEDIATE RELEASE Friday, December 10, 1999 NEW DPW DIRECTOR, A SNOW-BELT PROFESSIONAL, LEADS DISTRICT'S SNOW FIGHTING TEAMSnow fighting in the District moves to a new level this year under the leadership of a real snow-belt professional, Vanessa Dale Burns, the new director of the D.C. Department of Public Works. Ms. Burns, is the former director of public works in New Haven, Connecticut and Evanston, Illinois, where a winter's total snowfall is measured in feet, not inches. "I bring hands-on experience in snow fighting and look forward to sharing that experience with the snow team," said Director Burns. "I have determined the strategy for facing storms, deployed drivers and trucks to do the work and even driven snow plows. While the District's winters are milder than those I am accustomed to, the challenge will come with the ice storms, if we have any." Ms. Burns noted that unlike snow, which can be pushed to the curb, ice requires repeated applications of salt and vehicles churning the salt into the ice to have an effect. Also new this year is planning for Y2K. The District's fleet of dump trucks and 4x4 pick-ups is Y2K compliant. Contingency plans include generators to produce electricity for mechanics working on vehicles; mobile fuel tankers to refuel trucks while on their routes; Nextel combination telephone/radios for communications; as well as employees who will act as couriers. "In September, we conducted a Y2K drill," explained Director Burns. "The biggest lesson learned was that nothing can be taken for granted. We shifted our thinking to incorporate the unthinkable -- what if there is no electricity? What if the telephones fail? Our contingency plan benefited from the issues addressed during the drill." The District's Snow and Ice Control Program consists of:
The District will continue its use of the anti-icing solution, known as Ice Ban, on bridges. Snow officials will have 50,000 gallons of Ice Ban in the snow inventory. The District contracts with vendors to provide 6- and 10-wheel dump trucks to be driven by contractors to plow specific streets during major snow storms; 220 contractor-supplied trucks are committed to the District. These trucks will be used when 4 or more inches of snow are predicted. Additional equipment, including front-end loaders, snow blowers and graders also are available in case of a major snowfall. "I am looking forward to leading the snow team to make sure our streets are safe for the walking and motoring public," said Director Burns. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: Wednesday, January 19, 2000 DPW ANNOUNCES A "SNOW EMERGENCY"The Director of Public Works, Vanessa Dale Bums has declared a "SNOW EMERGENCY'' effective 7am, Thursday morning, January 20, 2000. Declaring a Snow Emergency win allow for District snow crews to treat the main streets from curb to curb. Emergency Routes are clearly marked with red and white Snow Emergency Route signs that are posted throughout the city. There are - 91 Snow Emergency Routes in the District of Columbia. Ms. Bums said, "We are committed to doing whatever we can to facilitate efficient traffic flow during and after snow storms. However, we will give motorists as much time as possible to move their vehicles". The fine for parking on snow emergency Routes is $250. Parked cars on these routes will be ticketed and relocated to nearby streets. Motorists who cannot locate their cars after a snow emergency should call (202) 541-6060. FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, January 20, 2000 1/20/00 DC TO LIFT SNOW EMERGENCY AT 6:30 P.M. TONIGHT
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| DAY OF COLLECTION | SUPERCANS | TWICE-A-WEEK | RECYCLING |
| Thursday 1/27 | Tues. and Wed. collections | Normal collections | Tues. and Wed. collections |
| Friday 1/28 | Wed. collections | Normal collections | Thursday collections |
| Saturday 1/29 | Thurs. and Friday collections | Friday collections | Friday collections |
| Sunday 1/30* | Friday collections |
*The Sunday collection day is based on achieving agreement with the unions to work that day.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Thursday, January 27, 2000
CONTACT: LINDA GRANT (202) 671-1573
The District of Columbia snow team is winding down the operation that began at midnight Monday. Starting at 8 p.m., 24 6- and 10-wheel dump trucks will plow and/or spread salt where needed. During last week's storm, the Department of Public Works had some success clearing snow-packed or icy streets by applying an anti-icing solution, followed by salt, so four trucks filled with the solution will be working as well. Also, a front-end loader and dump truck will remove mounded snow from street corners.
Tomorrow, Public Works will continue collecting trash and recycling according to the following schedule. Residents whose trash and recyclables are picked up in the alley-are reminded that these items must be placed at the front curb to be collected.
| DAY OF COLLECTION | SUPERCANS | TWICE-A-WEEK | RECYCLING |
| Friday 1/28 | Tues. and Wed. collections | Thurs. and Fri. collections | Thursday collections |
| Saturday 1/29 | Thurs. and Friday collections | Friday collections | Friday collections |
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Sunday, January 30, 2000
CONTACT: LINDA GRANT (202) 671-1573
The D.C. government snow team of 119 drivers and trucks mobilized Sunday morning, in time for a pre-dawn snowfall of short duration. These crews will remain on duty in anticipation of two to four inches of snow, sleet and freezing rain predicted for later in the day.
Also, Department of Public Works' collection crews picked up trash yesterday and today from residents who had placed it at the front curb. "By working Saturday and Sunday, we were able to collect the trash residents had placed at the front- curb and get back on schedule We will pick up trash, following our normal collection schedule this week, only from the front curb," said DPW Director Vanessa Dale Burns. "Last week's snow storm left most of our alleys impassable. So for everyone's safety and to prevent property damage, we are asking residents to continue placing their trash on the front."
Director Burns added, "We know there is trash in the alleys waiting to be collected. Until the alleys are safe for our trucks, we will ask residents to work with us. Hopefully, the promise of above-freezing temperatures this week comes true and we all can get back to normal."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Monday, January 31, 2000
CONTACT: LINDA GRANT (202) 671-1573
D.C. government has adopted a liberal leave, 2-hour delayed arrival policy for Monday, January 31, to give the snow team additional time to treat streets and bridges following yesterday's snow, sleet and freezing rain storm. There are 186 drivers and trucks working to control snow and ice on the city's roadways. The crews continue to plow or spread salt on main streets, bridges and hilly neighborhood streets, depending on conditions.
"We boosted our truck count starting yesterday afternoon by bringing in contract plow operators to work on our major streets," said Department of Public Works Director Vanessa Dale Burns. "This tactic allowed us to deploy city crews to work on the secondary streets that feed into the main streets."
Director Burns added that below freezing temperatures overnight and through this morning mean refreezing can occur so motorists should drive cautiously. She also asked residents to begin shoveling their sidewalks after daybreak so that pedestrians can travel safely.
"Our effort is based on the results we achieve, not the ticking of a time clock to determine how long this operation will last," she said. "The promise of sunshine and above freezing temperatures today and through the week gives heart to everyone on the D.C. snow team."
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Tuesday, February 1, 2000
CONTACT: LINDA GRANT (202) 673-6812
D.C. Department of Public Works Director Vanessa Dale Burns explained how the District handles snow and ice on its network of snow emergency routes, hilly neighborhood streets, secondary streets that feed into the major streets and small to medium residential streets. She also described a new program, "Winter Management," that features DPW inspectors fanning out throughout the city looking for and reporting potholes right after winter storms.
Speaking at a news conference this afternoon, she said the city is continuing its work on small residential streets to make them passable following Sunday's snow; sleet and freezing rain storm and that 42 trucks worked in neighborhoods today, continuing to treat streets with salt or plow, when possible, to make sure at least one travel lane is passable.;
"The city's snow team uses a system similar to that used by other cities." said Director Burns. At the start of a snow or ice event, we have our trucks positioned on our snow emergency routes, ready to apply salt when snow, sleet or freezing rain start falling. We added a feature to our snow program -- treating the hilly neighborhood streets at the same time we treat the major streets."
Director Burns continued, "Once we have completed-our work on the snow emergency routes, we move to the next tier of streets, the secondary streets, followed by our small residential streets. This is a system that allows cities to ensure public safety is protected. By working on the largest streets first, we are working on the streets where you have the greatest number of vehicles, therefore, the greatest risk of accidents.
"We follow the regionally accepted standards that apply to individual storms," said Director Burns.
The decision to spread salt versus plowing is based on the amount of snow accumulated on the streets. "We plow when four inches of snow have accumulated on the streets," she said. Anything less than that and we run the risk of damaging our plows."
DPW's new Winter Management program, another topic discussed by Director Burns, features construction inspectors traveling throughout the District to look for potholes that are then reported so they can be repaired. "We know potholes are going to appear following a storm," said Director Burns. "That's why we are going out there to find them ourselves, rather than waiting for the public to call us. This way we can get them repaired more quickly. We also are looking at failed utility cuts and reporting them to the utility companies so they can repair them." The public may call (202) 727-1000 to report potholes. Operators will ask where they are located.
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