Supervisors fault VDOT for snow failures
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors on Jan. 14 passed a resolution calling for VDOT to improve its snowplowing operations.
After a blizzard dropped 5 to 9 inches of snow on Fairfax County on Jan. 6, VDOT failed to do an adequate job of clearing the streets, said Supervisor James Bierman (Dranesville).
VDOT, not Fairfax County, is responsible for snow removal on all public roads. However, the motion states, “The Board of Supervisors understands that it is our job to ensure that our residents are safe and have access to their homes, neighborhoods, and services.”
VDOT is supposed to clear all roads within 72 hours. The agency is required to make sure all roads are passable by clearing an 8 to 10-foot path for emergency vehicle access.
“More than 72 hours after the storm ended, numerous side streets in the county were not passable but instead were caked in ice,” Bierman said. “Efforts to get VDOT to return to certain neighborhood streets repeatedly failed.”
“Snow removal worked well in a lot of the county,” said Board Chair Jeff McKay. “In other areas, it just did not work at all.”
Mason Supervisor Andres Jimenez said he got a lot complaints from residents. “People didn’t feel safe.”
While VDOT has an online map where residents can track the movement of snowplows, that information was often inaccurate, Bierman said. “Planning, execution, and communication fell far short of the service level that our residents demand and deserve, especially given the volume of snow that fell.”
The motion calls for the county executive to “request that VDOT provide a full after-action assessment of what went wrong focused on planning before the snow and execution after it fell.” That should also include information about the performance of VDOT contractors.
Additionally, the motion requests VDOT identify additional measures the agency will implement to improve service during future snowstorms.
Bierman blamed some of the problems on “the variability of information contractors were providing to VDOT.” He said VDOT needs to ensure its contractors are providing accurate information so the agency knows which streets need to be plowed again.
The board’s Transportation Committee will discuss these problems in more detail. School officials will be invited to that meeting.
Noting that schools were closed for four days just after winter break, McKay said, “I’m shocked we didn’t go into virtual learning. Kids need to be engaged in learning when they’re not in school.”
10 responses to “Supervisors fault VDOT for snow failures”
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It would be nice if the county would do something about clearing sidewalks. From what I can tell, there is no law requiring homeowners and businesses to have sidewalks clear in a timely fashion. Many sidewalks into this week were still packed ice since they were never shoveled.
Most places with HOAs have this requirement, but those without do not. It is the homeowner’s responsibility to have the walks shoveled in HOA communities though.
From Fairfax County website. https://www.fairfaxcounty.gov/publicworks/stormwater/snow-removal
Neither VDOT nor the county clears snow and ice from public walkways (sidewalks and trails). While not legally obligated, residents and businesses are asked to help keep sidewalks safe, when possible, by clearing snow off the sidewalks in front of their property so that all pedestrians, especially school children, those with disabilities and the elderly, may walk securely.
Homeowner associations may require members of their communities to clear the private walkways abutting their property. Please contact your association or property manager for further information. Learn more about Snow Shoveling Safety.
In the past 20 years, VDOT snow plows have come down our street several times to clear the snow and have done a pretty good job. This year, it was once. This caused excessive ice on our road that could have been avoided. My other problem is that the BoS should drive down Gallows Road from the Beltway past Hummer Road and check out the sidewalks. They want to make Gallows more “walkable”. Many of the sidewalks are impassable.
Jimenez will continue to be the common denominator.
An ambulance and fire truck were both stuck on the ice in the 3400 block of Charleson Street. The street had been plowed, but no salt or sand applied, thus it was a sheet of ice.
I had to call VDOT 4 times before we received any assistance. I even texted Vivian Watts for assistance. Live in cul-de-sac which historically never gets plowed. We just got sand no plowing. VDOT needs to be over hauled.
VDOT prioritizes highways, freeways, and main thoroughfares. Always has and always will. If a road has a state route number on it, expect VDOT. If it is a regular road, don’t expect VDOT any time soon. Most counties do their roads, for example Arlington county does their own roads and even came up with fun names for the snow plows (Taylor Drift, LOL, was one). The Fairfax Board of Supervisors seems to always be looking to make someone else at fault – especially when it comes to core services because the like spending tax dollars on interest projects. Challenges with trash services (both county and private), not holding their own sub-boards to account (aka those that have funding from county), such as parks/schools for a couple of examples. We keep electing these folks to the Board of Supervisors, we should not expect a change, because they refuse to be the responsible elected officials to have solutions. They always seem to “pass the buck.”
Police should tow or ticket all the vehicles that remain parked on street during a snow storm. (Esp tractor trailers at Braddock and Ravensworth). Plows would finish main roads faster and get to the side streets. Also people who are from warm climates don’t know basic snow etiquette? Yes shovel your sidewalk and your neighbor’s. Yes get your car off the street for plows. Yes get the snow off the roof of your car before driving around. Laws can’t fix common sense. — also what happened to kids who shovel driveways – We always made a ton of cash during snow storms.
Both an ambulance and fire engine were stuck on Charleson St delaying treatment for a medial emergency for over 45 minutes. A second ambulance had to be dispatched and the resident carried from the stuck ambulance to the new one. According to the fire department, VDOT was reporting the street as plowed when it hadn’t been touched. Luckily the resident was fine, but it could easily have been a tragedy. VDOT must do better!