City of Alexandria Snow & Ice Control
Snow and ice storms produce an average accumulation of 15 inches annually in Alexandria, generally spread over several events in a typical winter. Clearing city streets and sidewalks is a difficult process that takes time, hard work, and good communication between residents, business owners, and the City.
The City clears snow from 521 miles of roadways, 20 miles of publicly owned sidewalks, walkways, and pathways, and 44 acres of municipal parking lots and publicly owned squares. (Typically, alleys and non-municipal parking lots are not part of the City’s snow removal operations.)
"Winter Challenge" Rules to Remember
- Property owners should be prepared for winter weather! Make sure you have an adequate supply of shovels, salt or sand for your sidewalks and driveways.
- If you leave the City during winter, have a plan to ensure that your sidewalks will be cleared while you are away. This will prevent the City from charging you with fines and/or for snow removal services.
- Residents and property owners must clear their sidewalks within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall or risk fines and additional fees.
- City crews clear most public streets, accessible curb ramps and some paths. Read on to learn more about the City of Alexandria response during snow emergency events.
Who is Responsible for Snow Removal?
The City of Alexandria works in a unified, coordinated manner to clear snow from city streets and publicly owned property. Three departments have snow removal responsibilities for the City of Alexandria: General Services; Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities; and Transportation & Environmental Services.
Transportation & Environmental Services is responsible for snow and ice removal on most public streets and bridges. Typically, alleys and parking lots are not part of our snow removal operations.
General Services is responsible for snow removal at facilities owned and/or maintained by the City of Alexandria.
Recreation, Parks & Cultural Activities (RPCA) is responsible for Schools and Recreation Centers, sidewalks around parks and park trails and pathways.
Remember that residents and property owners are responsible for sidewalks not shown on the maps.
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What Can Residents Expect?
City crews begin preparing for winter by early October and storms are tracked 24 hours during the fall and winter months. On-call city crews work in 12-hour shifts and may receive assistance from contractors.
After a storm is over, city snow removal crews make every effort to clear streets in a reasonable amount of time. This depends on temperature and road conditions. The goals are:
- Less than 4 inches of snow - Cleared within 12 hours of storm’s end
- Between 4 and 8 inches - Cleared within 24 hours of storm’s end
- More than 8 inches - Cleared within 72 hours of storm’s end
Business owners and residents are responsible for clearing sidewalks abutting their property within 24 hours after a storm has ended. Failure to clear sidewalks within 24 hours of a snowfall will result in a fine of $50. In addition, the City will have the work done and charge the cost to the property owner.
In addition to 521 miles of roadways, the City clears snow from 20 miles of publicly owned sidewalks, walkways, and pathways and 44 acres of municipal parking lots and publicly owned squares.
It is the City’s goal to have snow cleared from publicly owned sidewalks, walkways, pathways, municipal parking lots, and publicly owned squares in 24 hours. However, depending on conditions, large snow events and/or ice removal may require up to four days for removal.
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Streets
Primary routes are our first priority for plowing and applying materials. Primary routes are the major streets that run throughout the city and near schools and hospitals. Plow trucks are first assigned to primary routes and then move quickly to secondary routes. (Snow removal operations on some pathways and public squares generally begin immediately- see Sidewalks & Pathways.)
Secondary routes include local and neighborhood streets, most Metro and DASH bus routes, and streets requiring special attention in snowy conditions, such as steep hills. Plowing of these routes often occurs in tandem with or closely after the plowing of some primary routes.
A note about parking...
Vehicles parked on snow emergency routes may be towed and impounded. If possible, use off-street parking.
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City Plowing Priorities
The City maintains the following priorities for snow plowing:
- Primary roadways
- Secondary roads and school bus routes
- Accessible curb ramps in key pedestrian zones and publicly-owned sidewalks, walkways, and pathways; municipal parking lots and publicly-owned squares
- Hilly streets
- Residential streets
City crews do not clear alleys and non-municipal parking lots.
In addition, not all roadways in the City of Alexandria are maintained by the City of Alexandria. The other agencies responsible for roads in Alexandria are:
- National Park Service, Road and Trail Maintenance. Call in order: 703-419-6408, 703-419-6417, or 703-419-6410
- Maintains: George Washington Memorial Parkway south of Hunting Towers and north of Second Street
- Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT), 703-383-8368
- Duke and Walker Streets to the west city line
- King Street at I-395
- U.S. 1 (Jefferson Davis Highway) from Franklin Street south
- Interstates
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Sidewalks & Pathways
City crews clear snow from approximately 20 miles of publicly owned sidewalks, walkways, and pathways and 44 acres of municipal parking lots and publicly owned squares.
City crews coordinate road clearing and sidewalk work by first clearing accessible curb ramps in heavily used pedestrian areas–particularly near major transit stops and retail zones along King Street (Commonwealth Avenue to Union Street) and Mount Vernon Avenue (East Glendale Avenue to Four Mile Road).
Accessible curb ramps, sidewalks and pathways are cleared by crews from all City departments. The sidewalks are prioritized into three basic groups:
- First priority: School walking areas, accessible curb ramps in key transit stops and retail zones.
- Second priority: Walks expanding out from schools, parks and municipal locations.
- Third priority: Trails, pathways internal to parks and bike paths. (The Mount Vernon Trail is maintained by the National Park Service and is not plowed during snow events).
Clearing snow from sidewalks is the responsibility of owners or occupants of homes or businesses in adjacent private buildings. Snow and ice must be cleared from all paved sidewalks abutting your property within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall. Failure to clear sidewalks may result in the City having the work done and charging the cost to the property owner, or fining the property owner $50.
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How You Can Help During a Snow Emergency
T&ES will maintain its snow emergency hotline (703-838-4488) before, during and after potential snow emergency events. Once a snow emergency is declared by the City, residents should pay special attention to news broadcasts and/or eNews for announcements are made that a snow emergency plan is in effect.
Residents and business owners should be prepared for winter weather by maintaining an adequate supply of shovels, salt or sand for their sidewalks and driveways. If you leave the City during winter, have a plan to ensure that your sidewalks will be cleared while you are away. This will prevent the City from charging you with fines, and/or charging you for snow removal services.
City Code Section 5-2-21 states that driveways and entrances are the responsibility of the residential owner, occupant, community association, or business for snow removal.
The code also explains that sidewalks are the responsibility of owners or occupants of homes, or businesses in adjacent private buildings. Snow and ice are to be cleared from the paved sidewalk in front of, or abutting, property within 24 hours of the end of the snowfall. The City encourages residents to:
- Clear ice, snow and leaves from around fire hydrants/storm drains near your property
- Do not shovel snow from your property back onto the sidewalk and/or street
- Park your car off the street wherever possible
- Immediately report potholes to the City at (703) 838-4488 or online at alexandriava.gov/tes/problem_reporting/input/
- Check on neighbors needing special assistance
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Citizen Assistance & "Snow Buddies" Program
The City of Alexandria recognizes that there are homeowners and renters with low incomes or fixed incomes who cannot clear snow from their property because they are elderly or disabled. The Office of Citizen Assistance (703-838-4800 or TTY 703-838-5056) is available during snow events to provide homeowners with guidance so that snow may be cleared from their property.
If, for medical reasons, you are physically unable to clear snow from your property, Citizen Assistance can provide a list of private contractors and volunteer organizations that perform snow removal services in Alexandria.
The City of Alexandria may, as a last resort, clear snow from sidewalks adjacent to private property free of charge only for residents who can demonstrate medical and/or financial hardship. The following requirements apply:
- Resident must own or occupy the home
- Individuals in the home must be unable to shovel
- Only the public sidewalk can be cleared, not driveways or walkways
- Shoveling will be done only when the City plows the street
City of Alexandria crews are specifically prohibited from clearing snow on private property. In the event that a resident is eligible, City crews are instructed to work only within the public right-of-way (this area generally covers only sidewalks and accessible curb ramps). City crews will not clear driveways, stoops, porches, steps and other walkways on private property.
“Snow Buddies” Volunteer Program
In addition, the City and the Volunteer Alexandria have partnered on “Snow Buddies,” a volunteer program to provide snow removal assistance for low-income homeowners who are elderly or disabled.
The “Snow Buddies” program matches eligible residents with volunteers and/or high school students who can shovel snow. Residents must apply to the Office of Citizen Assistance for this program in advance to ensure that their sidewalks are cleared in a timely fashion to avoid fines and/or snow removal charges. Please note that the City cannot guarantee that volunteers and/or assistance will be available during a snow emergency. To apply for the “Snow Buddies” program, contact the Office of Citizen Assistance (703-838-4800 or TTY 703-838-5056). To become a volunteer for the “Snow Buddies” program, please contact Volunteer Alexandria at 703.836.2176.
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