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New District Snow Site Helps the City Get Ready for Winter

Wednesday, December 7, 2011
New Site Features Alerts, Safety Tips, Snow Plow Tracking, More

I'm dreaming of a White Christmas…” “Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Not everyone will share the sentiments in these classic songs, but whether you love the white stuff or hate it, a new District of Columbia web site will help you handle it.

“The last few winters have shown just how big an issue snow can be for the entire metro region,” said District Chief Technology Officer Rob Mancini. “So our web team here at the DC Office of the Chief Technology Officer (OCTO) has created a new site that’s all about snow. Our aim is to help everyone prepare for and manage snow better than ever before.”

The new site is simply and appropriately named snow.dc.gov. It consolidates, updates, and expands information previously posted on the separate websites of the District’s Snow Team.

Leading the Snow Team are the Department of Public Works (DPW), which manages plowing and snow removal, and the Department of Transportation (DDOT), which manages snow-related street routing and evacuation planning. Supporting players on the team are the DC Departments of Corrections, General Services, Parks and Recreation, and DC Water.

At the new dedicated snow site, visitors can learn about the Snow Team’s work - and much, much more. For example:

  • Site visitors can read press releases about important snow-related events—such as the Snow Team’s dry run on Friday, October 28, 2011 to prepare for the snow expected on Saturday, October 29.
  • The site displays snow emergency declarations (meaning that motorists may not park on streets designated as snow emergency routes, and face a $250 fine if they do) and identifies snow emergency routes.
  • Residents can track the progress of snow plows in real time and know when to expect plows to reach their neighborhoods.
  • Pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers can get snow safety tips to help them reach their destinations safely.
  • Neighbors can learn how to form a snow shoveling team to clear sidewalks after a storm.
  • Everyone can learn about “Plan Today, Plow Tomorrow,” the local campaign to encourage preparedness ahead of a storm.

To learn more about DC Government technology initiatives, visit OCTO.