Arlington Readies its Snow and Ice Response for Winter

Early snow and wintry mix in December are heralding the arrival of winter across the region. No matter what the season brings—whether it’s 8-14 inches of snowfall or higher—the Department of Environmental Services’ (DES) Water, Sewer, Streets Bureau has conducted its annual equipment checks, driver trainings and interdepartmental staff briefings to ensure that the County is ready for storms and maintaining essential safety operations.

Along with these preparations, expect a second winter of public-supplied, cleverly named snowplows and salt trucks to keep streets passable in the event of 2 or more inches of accumulation. The top picks to christen the County’s fleet of 60 plow-salt trucks (45 County-owned, 15 contracted) submitted through the “Name that Plow!” contest will be announced soon.

Those names will appear on Arlington’s online Snow Activity Map, which is activated when snow accumulation reaches 2 inches or more and provides updates on the progress of snow plows and salt trucks in almost real-time. Plowing when there are 2 or more inches of snowfall helps avoid damaging equipment and road surfaces.

While you’re tracking the plows’ progress during a major snow event, here are other things to know about Arlington’s snow and ice response.

How Arlington Prepares for Winter Weather

Arlington snow operations involve multiple departments as well as external partners, making for a force of several hundred people working in shifts to maintain core services. A winter weather alert for snow, ice or freezing rain sets crews in motion according to an established set of pretreatment and removal phases.

The County is responsible for clearing:

• 1,059 miles of roads
• 350 bus shelters and bus stops
• 35 miles of sidewalks in shared public areas
• 21 bridges and overpasses
• 10 miles of trails (Department of Parks and Recreation)
• 7.4 miles of protected bike lanes.

Arlington provides year-round multimodal transportation options and treats high-volume trails with the same priority and response time as primary arterial streets. Trail and lane conditions are reported frequently by BikeArlington on social media.

Find updates on snow response phases, transportation, trash collection and other service changes through the County’s Snow and Ice page and DES’s social media platforms by following @ArlingtonDES on X, Facebook or Bluesky. 

Sign up for Arlington Alert to get free, real-time updates on weather conditions, road closures, emergencies, and much more.

Ways You Can Help

Staying off the roads is the best action for anyone without a crucial reason to venture out during and right after a snowstorm. It helps our crews be efficient in plowing operations and minimizes safety risks.

Arlington residents play a key role in recovery after a winter storm. The County’s Snow Removal Ordinance requires all property owners to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours after the end of the storm for snowfalls of less than 6 inches, or 36 hours for those greater than 6 inches.

Here are other ways to help:

• If possible, move cars from the street prior to a storm, as plowing around vehicles on narrow roadways is extremely difficult. If you can’t remove vehicles from the street, coordinate with neighbors to park only on one side where feasible.
• Don’t park “head in” on cul-de-sacs, to give plows more room to maneuver.
• Clear snow from sidewalks, fire hydrants, storm drains and catch basins away from the street. But wait for plows to come before clearing snow from the front of driveways, to minimize the amount pushed back.
• Apply only the recommended minimum of chemical deicers on sidewalks, walkways and driveways.
• Stay home or use mass transit for safety and to reduce the number of potentially stranded vehicles.

Be Prepared at Home

Major snow events can cause power outages and disrupt traffic in the immediate aftermath of the event. A well-stocked emergency kit can make all the difference in a crisis or weather emergency. Gather essential items like water, non-perishable food, first aid supplies, medications, and important documents. Don’t forget to include items for pets, infants, and anyone with special needs.

Find a list of items and supplies to include in your emergency kit and useful resources by visiting Ready.gov.

Media Contact

Kiara Candelaria Nieves
kcnieves@arlingtonva.us
703-228-4951

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