Don't be a jerk after it snows. Be like this person and shovel your walk. Photograph by Flickr user CathrynDC.
With a blizzard that could leave Washington buried under nearly a foot of snow approaching, the District will go into snow emergency mode at 6:30 PM tonight, Mayor Vince Gray said at a press conference today. But it’s been a while—four years, in fact—since DC had a snow emergency, so here’s a quick refresher.
Basically, do not park your car on any major thoroughfares unless you want to pay dearly. In a snow emergency, the cost of parking illegally on roads designated as rush hour zones goes from $100 up to $250, but that’s just for the ticket. Drivers whose cars are towed also get hit with a $100 towing fee, and a $25 impound fee that increases by $25 every day a vehicle is locked up.
Snow-emergency conditions also mean that taxis will charge an additional $15 fee.
The District government will deploy 287 snowplows on city streets at 9 PM tonight, said Bill Howland, the director of the Department of Public Works. Residents and property owners are also encouraged to salt the sidewalks outside their buildings before the snow arrives, and shovel the snow after the storm has passed. While this requirement is rarely, if ever, enforced, people who don’t shovel their sidewalks are generally considered to be complete jerks.
Here’s the map of DC’s snow emergency routes. They’re highlighted in red, because if you park there, it will be expensive:
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
DC to Declare Snow Emergency Tonight. Here’s Where Not to Park Your Car.
Also, don’t be a jerk about shoveling the sidewalk.
With a blizzard that could leave Washington buried under nearly a foot of snow approaching, the District will go into snow emergency mode at 6:30 PM tonight, Mayor Vince Gray said at a press conference today. But it’s been a while—four years, in fact—since DC had a snow emergency, so here’s a quick refresher.
Basically, do not park your car on any major thoroughfares unless you want to pay dearly. In a snow emergency, the cost of parking illegally on roads designated as rush hour zones goes from $100 up to $250, but that’s just for the ticket. Drivers whose cars are towed also get hit with a $100 towing fee, and a $25 impound fee that increases by $25 every day a vehicle is locked up.
Snow-emergency conditions also mean that taxis will charge an additional $15 fee.
The District government will deploy 287 snowplows on city streets at 9 PM tonight, said Bill Howland, the director of the Department of Public Works. Residents and property owners are also encouraged to salt the sidewalks outside their buildings before the snow arrives, and shovel the snow after the storm has passed. While this requirement is rarely, if ever, enforced, people who don’t shovel their sidewalks are generally considered to be complete jerks.
Here’s the map of DC’s snow emergency routes. They’re highlighted in red, because if you park there, it will be expensive:
SnowIceControl Snow Emergency Routes Map
Benjamin Freed joined Washingtonian in August 2013 and covers politics, business, and media. He was previously the editor of DCist and has also written for Washington City Paper, the New York Times, the New Republic, Slate, and BuzzFeed. He lives in Adams Morgan.
Most Popular in News & Politics
Roe v. Wade Was Overturned. These Protests Are Happening Around DC.
Anti-Abortion Clinic Protests Are Getting Bigger and More Aggressive
A Massive Asian-American Led Protest Is Happening Saturday. Here’s What You Need to Know
Death and the All-American Boy
“The Handmaid’s Tale” Is Filming on the National Mall and the Photos are Kinda Intense
Washingtonian Magazine
July 2022: Summer Music Guide
View IssueSubscribe
Follow Us on Social
Follow Us on Social
Related
Guest List: 5 People We’d Love to Hang Out With This June
Not Just Foxes: 5 Animals You Might Spot at the US Capitol
How Rosa Parks Befriended a DC Hotel Owner
Dan About Town: The Best of Bashes, Balls, and Benefits This Past April
More from News & Politics
Devastation, Joy, and Fury: Reactions From the Supreme Court
Roe v. Wade Was Overturned. These Protests Are Happening Around DC.
PHOTOS: DC’s British Embassy Caps Off Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee
Photos from the Supreme Court: Roe v. Wade Has Been Overturned
50 Years After Title IX: Why Survivors Still Need More Protections
Anti-Abortion Clinic Protests Are Getting Bigger and More Aggressive
“Reading Lolita in Tehran” Author Azar Nafisi on How Freddie Mercury of Queen Helped Her Survive Life in Iran
This Maryland Start-Up Is on the Brink of Winning a Prestigious XPRIZE