Snowzilla Jonas Update!

The meteorologists were right about this one! The District received 22 to 24 inches of snow, with higher totals in Wards 3 and 4. I hope you and your loved ones have been safe and sound during this historic and hazardous blizzard and remain so as we move into clean up and recovery.

I want to update you on a few items. I've been on a daily morning call since Thursday with the City Administrator about our city's operations. The District has moved into the response and recovery phase of this storm. I implore you: Please stay home or close to home while our hard-working DPW and DDOT crews work to clean the streets and our MPD and FEMS officers respond to our emergencies.

Thanks so much, and feel to free to let me know how I can help.

Elissa.

SNOW EMERGENCY STILL IN EFFECT

• The snow emergency is still in effect. There is no parking on snow emergency routes. If your car is parked, stuck, or stranded on a snow emergency route, you will be fined $250 and towed. Mayor Bowser will announce when the snow emergency will be lifted.
• Mayor Bowser made a request I will repeat: Please do not drive a vehicle unless you are a public safety officer, first responder, or essential worker. Chief Lanier this morning reported that even four-wheel drive vehicles were getting stuck. We need our first responders focused on 911 calls, and every stranded driver strains our resources.
• Please shovel the sidewalk in front of your home ASAP, and please help shovel for neighbors who may not be able to shovel themselves. If you'd like to volunteer to help others, please go to snowteam.dc.gov. As of this morning, there were more requests than volunteers.
• I know many of you are starting to get out and about. Please walk on the sidewalk and not in the street. Our plow drivers cannot always see you in the street, and it is a public safety hazard. That's why it is essential we shovel our sidewalks. The shoveling law applies to businesses too, and the mayor implored businesses to clear their walks as well.

SNOW PLOWING AND TRASH COLLECTION

• City Administrator Young said the goal Sunday and early Monday is to make major thoroughfares and arterials passable. Then resources will shift largely to secondary and residential streets.
• D.C. has every piece of equipment we own on the street, and the mayor has brought in about 400 more pieces of equipment on contract. This includes additional plows, bobcats, and dump trucks to move the snow. This is a robust response, and I ask for your patience in reaching residential streets. You can track the snow plowing here.
• Mayor Bowser announced that there will be no trash and recycling collection through Wednesday so we can focus on getting roads cleared and safe. I ask that you keep trash either inside your home or in Supercan containers.  

SCHOOL AND GOVERNMENT CLOSURES

• D.C. Public Schools are closed Monday. I have not checked every D.C. public charter school, but I believe it is safe to say all public school students will not be in school tomorrow. There will be an announcement by 5 pm Monday about whether schools will open Tuesday.
• School breakfasts and lunches will be served between 10 am and 2 pm Monday at the following DCPS schools: Ballou, HD Woodson, Anacostia, Eastern, McKinley, Brookland, Cardozo, Coolidge, Columbia Heights Education Campus and Jefferson. If you can help volunteer to help from 8 am to 2 pm, please email me at [email protected].
• Our Department of General Services is working on the cleanup of schools, recreation centers, and other city-owned properties. City Administrator Young said that the goal is to have school sidewalks and parking lots cleared by Monday morning. If tomorrow you see uncleared sidewalks, please call in to 311.
• Both Federal and District governments will be closed Monday. Our office will be closed but you can contact me by phone or email. A decision on DC government for Tuesday will be announced by the mayor at 5pm.

METRORAIL AND METROBUS STATUS

• WMATA announced an extremely limited bus and rail schedule Monday.
• MetroAccess will not be available Monday.
• Metrorail will have all DC stations with the exception of Benning Road open starting at 11 am through midnight Monday. Orange will run from New Carrollton to Ballston; Red will run between Glenmont and Medical Center; Green will run between Fort Totten and Branch Avenue. There will be no charge to ride.
• Metrobus will only be running 22 routes on the major thoroughfares from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. The buses will run twice an hour. The buses to Dulles and BWI Airport will also run. You can find the routes at www.wmata.com.

 WHAT TO DO IF...

• Your car gets towed: Call 202-541-6083 for help finding it.
• You experience a power outage: Call Pepco's 24-Hour Outage Report Line at 1-877-737-2662. For downed wires, call Pepco immediately at 877-737-2662 and press 2.
• You have fallen trees or excessive debris: Call the Mayor's Citywide Call Center at 311 or report it online here.
• Your street has not been plowed: Check the live snow plow tracker at http://snowmap.dc.gov/. Resources are being shifted Monday toward secondary and residential streets. Let me know by email or phone if your street has not seen any plowing by midday Monday. Given the volume of phone calls and emails the ward reps from the mayor's office are receiving, I will compile lists of neighborhoods and streets to give to them. Gives me something to do!