In response to the recent snowstorm, crews in Arlington, Virginia, worked 12-hour shifts for seven straight days before scaling back continuous operations.
Ever since, they鈥檝e been working to get roads, sidewalks and bus stops clear, according to Jeremy Hassan, bureau chief for Water, Sewers and Streets in Arlington County.
The county, Hassan told 海角社区app, is responsible for clearing about 1,000 lane miles in response to winter weather 鈥� that includes turn lanes, bike lanes and bridges.
As part of the cleanup effort, neighborhoods across the D.C. region have been confronted with a choice 鈥� haul the snow away, or push it toward the curbs or parking lots, and hope temperatures inch closer to seasonal averages so it eventually melts.
鈥淪ome of our drivers that have been doing this for 10 or 20 years, it鈥檚 even unique to them, because it鈥檚 not something that you can really train for, prepare for. They were, on the fly, making adjustments to handle it as best you can,鈥� Hassan said.
In Arlington, crews have been hauling it to a handful of predetermined locations. The list includes parking lots and other facilities, but time management and convenience are considered, because of the number of trips that have to be made.
In some cases, such as near the county courthouse, hardpack snow is piled up and closing a stretch of the street.
In other locations, Hassan said, there are snow-melters operating around the clock. It鈥檚 the first time in a decade the county has had to use the equipment.
鈥淒ay and night, 24/7, we had to haul over 5,000 truckloads of materials from our commercial corridors,鈥� Hassan said. 鈥淎nd even then, there鈥檚 still material out there that we鈥檙e trying to prioritize and find that good balance of, what鈥檚 enough to get the community out there to be able to enjoy businesses, make their medical appointments, take their family where they need to be; but also try to hope that Mother Nature 鈥� helps us kind of takes its part of that as well.鈥�
Some of the drop-off sites are at full capacity, Hassan said, adding, 鈥淥nce we鈥檙e out there plowing, it gets to a point of where we鈥檝e kind of maximized our efficiency of where we can push things.鈥�
The storm presented unique challenges, he said, because sleet came after the snow, almost creating 鈥渁 skating rink on top of six inches of fluffy snow.鈥�
Plows are effective in pushing material off streets, but their strength is limited once it freezes, Hassan said.
鈥淪o now, when you’re hitting it with that plow, it adds weight, it adds resistance, and they’re trying to push it to the sides,鈥� he said. 鈥淎lso, it moves in chunks versus fluffy snow, which is more like just sand and material you could push it out to the sides.鈥�
While the county has prioritized commercial corridors, with a lot of pedestrians and on-street parking, 鈥測ou’re kind of limited where you push it, because the businesses are trying to push it closer to the street and the sidewalk. We’re pushing it to the street, and that pile just accumulates,鈥� Hassan said.
鈥淚n those areas, the only other option when you get to a certain point is to remove it physically, which calls for drastic hauling operations,鈥� he added.
The work will continue, Hassan said, until students can safely navigate bus stops, and county drivers find intersections and traffic patterns that are 鈥渓ooking good.鈥�
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