Prepare for a Potential Messy Commute Tomorrow

Photo by PoPville flickr user Paul Sirajuddin

From DPW:

“The National Weather Service is forecasting a wintry mix of snow, sleet and rain beginning overnight and continuing through Wednesday’s morning commute. The DC Snow Team will be called in at midnight to closely monitor temperatures and precipitation, with 150 heavy and light plow trucks ready to treat District roads as necessary. Residents and motorists can register to receive important weather alerts from the District on their devices by signing up for AlertDC at alertdc.dc.gov.

“The DC Snow Team will be monitoring road conditions throughout the early morning hours to determine whether further action is needed,” said DPW Director Chris Shorter. “Our first priority is the safety of motorists on District roads, which we balance with the environmental concerns of over-salting roads when unnecessary.”

To prepare for the overnight wintry mix and morning commute, residents are encouraged to heed the following tips:

Take Metro as an alternative to driving.
If driving, do so cautiously and maintain safe speeds and distances from other vehicles.
Keep a safe distance from emergency and snow vehicles and use caution when attempting to pass a snowplow. Give the drivers plenty of room to safely do their jobs.
Be aware of hazardous road conditions, particularly black ice which can be deceptive in appearance and give the driver a false sense of security on the road.
Drive and walk carefully on bridges, ramps and other elevated structures which can freeze before the roadway.
Cyclists should use caution and avoid biking directly on snow or ice.”