Require Sidewalk Shoveling
Consider requiring sidewalks be shoveled within 48 hours so school kids can get to school and pedestrians can walk safely. Other counties make it the law, so should Fairfax.
Browse Popular Ideas
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled67 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »2 comments -
I agree
Voting is Disabled
54 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Communications »Map with location of fire hydrants
Add your commentThe County gave smart advice to ask people to dig out fire hydrants - but unless they were flagged before the storms it was impossible to know where they were after they were buried in snow or plow drifts. Adding hydrant location data to Google maps or other public sources for citizens to find them would have helped (and this would be useful for homeowners insurance and general safety too - not just snowstorms)
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
50 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Communications »Better Web Information Services
Add your comment1. have an online map that shows where the plows are.
2. post an online schedule of when plows are scheduled to be dispatched to various regions/streets
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
43 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Other »come up with "snow emergency" parking and ticketing rules
Add your commentin my neighborhood, there were places where the snow plows could not clear due to cars parked on the street (for example, two cars parked on opposite side of the street across from one another). Although residents have been requested to park in driveways when snow is predicted, some did not care and we had problems for two weeks getting out of our street.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
37 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Clearing streets vs. clearing sidewalks
VDOT's use of heavy equipment to clear residential streets "curb to curb" may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but created a secondary problem -- mountains of snow that completely buried sidewalks. This created an extremely dangerous situation for pedestrians, especially school children, who were forced to walk in the street. Here are some suggestions to prevent this from happening in the future. 1) Instruct ...more »
Add your commentVDOT's use of heavy equipment to clear residential streets "curb to curb" may have seemed like a good idea at the time, but created a secondary problem -- mountains of snow that completely buried sidewalks. This created an extremely dangerous situation for pedestrians, especially school children, who were forced to walk in the street.
Here are some suggestions to prevent this from happening in the future.
1) Instruct VDOT crews to focus on clearing two passable travel lanes. Extra care should be given to clearing streets to the pavement, instead of leaving four inches of packed ice and snow on the road which makes driving extremely hazardous and can damage vehicle suspensions and alignment.
2) When clearing residential areas with sidewalks, snow should be piled along the curb in the gutter, to approximately the width of a parked car, so as to not cover sidewalks.
3) If it is not feasable to pile snow in the gutter, then instruct crews to clear to the curb only on the odd-numbered side of the street. This would ensure that sidewalks on the even-numbered side of the street could be cleared by residents.
4) Residents should be instructed to park only on the even-numbered side of the street for the first 24-48 hours of a snow emergency to further facilitate snow removal.
5) Smaller equipment (such as Bobcats) should be used to clear sidewalks at intersections.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
32 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Instruct snow plow drivers how to clear snow
Our neighborhood received a plow a week after the snow which provided one lane of traffic. A week later, two plows came into the neighborhood and cleared curb-to-curb. In doing so, they dumped snow on the yards as mentioned in another idea; however, to get to the yard, they drove up over the curb, left huge holes in the yard from driving over it to get to the dumping ground and in some cases even tore up the sod. We ...more »
Add your commentOur neighborhood received a plow a week after the snow which provided one lane of traffic. A week later, two plows came into the neighborhood and cleared curb-to-curb. In doing so, they dumped snow on the yards as mentioned in another idea; however, to get to the yard, they drove up over the curb, left huge holes in the yard from driving over it to get to the dumping ground and in some cases even tore up the sod. We were happy to have the street cleared, didn't mind having the snow dumped on our yard but now will have major repairs to our yards. It could be said that we are not ever happy either way -- snow or no snow -- but having grown up in a very snowy part of the country, I don't remember seeing this kind of damage from the plows.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
29 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Plowing Side Streets Closed
Snow plow operators should be instructed NOT to plow in side streets. When getting to a side street, they can turn into the side street and place the additional snow against the curb, OR, once they plow a lane in each direction of the main street, they should be instructed to come back and remove the snow and ice they placed in the intersections of side streets, thus opening up the side street to four wheel drive and ...more »
Add your commentSnow plow operators should be instructed NOT to plow in side streets. When getting to a side street, they can turn into the side street and place the additional snow against the curb, OR, once they plow a lane in each direction of the main street, they should be instructed to come back and remove the snow and ice they placed in the intersections of side streets, thus opening up the side street to four wheel drive and emergency vehicles.
In this past snow storm, the plows closed in the side streets with a wall of three to four feet of snow and ice. I had volunteered my four wheel drive truck to the local hospital to help bring in staff, only problem with a wall of snow and ice four feet high closing in our side street, I could not get out to help others. We have a neighbor with a heart condition and should we have needed emergency assistance, they never could have come down our street as the street was plowed closed.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
28 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Plan with the assumption that all roads need to be clear
VDOT's order of priority, which you can hear about once an hour on WTOP during a big storm, is to keep main arteries clear, then to move to important road, then secondary roads, then down to the neighborhoods. This is a lousy plan, especially when, as has been true for nearly every significant storm I've experienced in the last 20 years, VDOT more or less insists on plowing the main roads down to clean pavement before ...more »
Add your commentVDOT's order of priority, which you can hear about once an hour on WTOP during a big storm, is to keep main arteries clear, then to move to important road, then secondary roads, then down to the neighborhoods. This is a lousy plan, especially when, as has been true for nearly every significant storm I've experienced in the last 20 years, VDOT more or less insists on plowing the main roads down to clean pavement before it moves to lesser streets.
I know the theory is that the main roads have to be kept clear for emergency vehicles, but in practice that doesn't matter if those vehicles can't get into the neighborhoods. If one of my neighbors had had a heart attack on the Saturday of the big storm, having Fort Hunt Road plowed would have done no good at all - there were 30 inches of snow on my street, rendering it impassable.
I grew up in a place where it snowed frequently, and they had a much more practical approach - everything got plowed in the first few hours and then regularly after that. The main roads got plowed more often (say twice for every time a street in the neighborhoods got plowed), but the plowing teams planned to hit every single street on a regular basis until the storm was over. It was a much better way to keep the streets clear and passable than VDOT's approach, and it had the extra benefit of making the load lighter for the plows on the passes through the neighborhoods.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
27 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Other »Please build at least five snow days into the school calendar
2 commentsWe seem to always be struggling to find ways to make up snow days. Just build it into the school year.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
27 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Communications »Better use of Blackboard.com for FCPS students
While some teachers used Blackboard.com to help their students keep up with homework and assignments, its use was inconsistent. Parents should be told at Open House that EVERY time there is a snow day, they should be sure to have their students check Blackboard.com for assignments. It not only keeps academics up to schedule so that classes do not fall behind before SOLs, but it also keeps kids' busy while they are home ...more »
1 commentWhile some teachers used Blackboard.com to help their students keep up with homework and assignments, its use was inconsistent. Parents should be told at Open House that EVERY time there is a snow day, they should be sure to have their students check Blackboard.com for assignments. It not only keeps academics up to schedule so that classes do not fall behind before SOLs, but it also keeps kids' busy while they are home from school so that parents can also work from home. Blackboard.com can be used this way for all grades, K-12.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
27 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »VDOT PLOW Trucks should travel with plow blades down
Add your commentI followed a VDOT dump truck for miles down Rte 236 two days after the storm and it never once lowered the plow blade to clear all the snow, slush and ice it was driving over, and sometimes swerving around. The plow drivers should be instructed to not waste their travel time to another site when they could be plowing and helping to clear the roads along the way.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
26 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Other »Be reasonable about what policies you adopt
As evidenced by the number of ideas posted so far, a good many residents have opinions about what could have been done and what could have been done better. But keep in mind: This year is/was an anomaly. If any of us lives in Fairfax County for the next 60 years, we might never see another storm like the two we had this winter. One could argue it's doubtful we'll ever see such storms again in this region. There ...more »
Add your commentAs evidenced by the number of ideas posted so far, a good many residents have opinions about what could have been done and what could have been done better.
But keep in mind: This year is/was an anomaly. If any of us lives in Fairfax County for the next 60 years, we might never see another storm like the two we had this winter. One could argue it's doubtful we'll ever see such storms again in this region.
There are many valid ideas and comments here, and I do not mean to diminish them. Perhaps it's worth creating separate policies for garden-variety 4-inch snow events and paralyzing storms, like we had this winter.
I don't believe it's a wise idea to revamp sections of the county's snow policy merely as a reaction to this winter. Yes, in the future, unusual events should be a part of the plan; but I'm not certain this winter should be the sole basis for amending those plans.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
26 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Snow clearing needs to be continous, not wait till end of snow
VDOT failed to keep pace with Feb snow storm due to perhaps improper planning and supervision. They virtually did not clear snow during main snow fall and started clearing when it was already too much on the roads. VDOT has about 17000 lane miles of roads and about 1800 Vehicles. This means every vehicle gets 10 lane miles to clear. If it drives at 10-15 miles speed, every inch of road could be cleared once every hour. ...more »
Add your commentVDOT failed to keep pace with Feb snow storm due to perhaps improper planning and supervision. They virtually did not clear snow during main snow fall and started clearing when it was already too much on the roads. VDOT has about 17000 lane miles of roads and about 1800 Vehicles. This means every vehicle gets 10 lane miles to clear. If it drives at 10-15 miles speed, every inch of road could be cleared once every hour. Considering the rest/refuel etc, it may work only 12 hours out of 24. That means every inch of raod should be cleared every two hours with existing/deployed resources. However, there were areas where no snow plows were seen or they were just loitering around without clearing snow. Even roads like Rt 50, 29, Stringfellow etc had too much compacted snow on them after days of snow fall. VDOT needs to plan and monitor as many of their assets are contractors, who seem to make money by being present not by work done. Also there seems to be no one checking their work. I saw many plows just standing on road side and whiling away their time. I did report this to them more than once. They need to deploy with snow fall and should be done within hours of snow fall, if planed properly and excecuted with efficiency.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
23 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Push Snow into Median Strips
While plowing Columbia Pike during this past snow storm, one snow plow closed in Aqua Terrace (a side street) with a short wall of snow and ice. When a street has a median strip, such as we have in front of my house on Lakeview Drive, the snow plow driver should push the snow into the median strip. During this past snow storm, some of the drivers did that, others pushed the snow into our newly shovelled driveways ...more »
Add your commentWhile plowing Columbia Pike during this past snow storm, one snow plow closed in Aqua Terrace (a side street) with a short wall of snow and ice.
When a street has a median strip, such as we have in front of my house on Lakeview Drive, the snow plow driver should push the snow into the median strip.
During this past snow storm, some of the drivers did that, others pushed the snow into our newly shovelled driveways and newly shovelled parking spaces on the side of the street.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
21 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Treat all transportation modes with respect
While VDOT does not have a snow removal policy for trails and sidewalks, dumping excessive amounts of snow and debris on sidewalks and trails, especially at intersections, shows a basic lack of respect for other modes of transportation. These large piles of snow and debris will take many more days to melt. VDOT should instruct plow drivers to avoid dumping snow at intersections and onto sidewalks and trails when clearing ...more »
Add your commentWhile VDOT does not have a snow removal policy for trails and sidewalks, dumping excessive amounts of snow and debris on sidewalks and trails, especially at intersections, shows a basic lack of respect for other modes of transportation. These large piles of snow and debris will take many more days to melt. VDOT should instruct plow drivers to avoid dumping snow at intersections and onto sidewalks and trails when clearing curb to curb.
VDOT and Fairfax County should develop a list of prioritized non-motorized facilities that should be cleared of snow for use by these other modes. In some cases parents and other volunteers cleared sidewalks leading to schools, only to have VDOT dump snow shortly afterward; this is not acceptable.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
17 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Vehicle Snow Removal: Law requiring snow removal from car/truck
A simple solution for the complaint heard constantly throughout the storms and for at least the following week about the many vehicles (both cars and trucks) whose drivers had not completely removed the snow from their vehicle roof, creating hazards for other drivers when it blew or fell off: Make it a LAW requiring complete snow removal from the vehicle roof, or face a heavy (several hundred $$$) fine. A relative in ...more »
Add your commentA simple solution for the complaint heard constantly throughout the storms and for at least the following week about the many vehicles (both cars and trucks) whose drivers had not completely removed the snow from their vehicle roof, creating hazards for other drivers when it blew or fell off: Make it a LAW requiring complete snow removal from the vehicle roof, or face a heavy (several hundred $$$) fine. A relative in NJ told me how this was made a state law, and it's been successful in ensuring drivers clear their cars/trucks. Add complete removal of snow from windshield and back window: it was amazing to see many vehicles driving with limited visibility in what were already dangerous conditions, because the drivers hadn't taken the few minutes to fully clear their windshield and back window!
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
16 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Other »Train VDOT Call takers
The VDOT call takes have no clue, to put it simply. To call and say the roads are undriveable and ice 10 times, and all the neighbors. To finally they said, you said the wrong thing, you need something put down, not the contractors to come back and plow solid ice. A duh. What a waste of taxpayer dollars. Lay down salt/sand. Just not plow. If you did this, then we would have had school at least 2 of those days they ...more »
Add your commentThe VDOT call takes have no clue, to put it simply. To call and say the roads are undriveable and ice 10 times, and all the neighbors. To finally they said, you said the wrong thing, you need something put down, not the contractors to come back and plow solid ice. A duh. What a waste of taxpayer dollars. Lay down salt/sand. Just not plow. If you did this, then we would have had school at least 2 of those days they were closed. Now look, the kids will be going to school almost until July 4.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
14 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »CERT
2 commentsHave a Fairfax CERT in each HOA/community responsible to coordinate digging out fire hydrants and report road conditions.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
14 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Park and Ride
Add your commentDont plow the park and ride lots into parking spaces. People are illegally parking on snow piles. How many weeks ago was the big storm? We still dont have all the spots. So instead of ideas for the future. Fix it now. Also, when someone falls on the ice patches and sues the county, you will see it was cheaper to put something down on the ice.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
14 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Communications »Phone Bank
Add your commentHave someone answer the emergency information hotline, not have it go to messages and no one get back to people. Have the PIOs office forward the phone to their house, if need be, if they cant get to the office. Technology can do this, directly from the phone company.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
13 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Invest in a few sidewalk plows
Add your commentInvest in a few sidewalk plows to help clear sidewalks, especially around schools and major pedestrian routes. Requiring residents to clear sidewalks in front of their homes is important, but it's also important to clear what sidewalks exist on busy routes not directly in front of privet homes.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
10 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Learn To Stay Inside
Add your commentI think people should just quit their bitching with how the plows work... If it isn't safe to go outside then they should just stay inside... OR... LEARN TO DRIVE IN IT!!!
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
8 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »budgeting for snow removal
We've heard many times that this year's budget for snow removal was spent before February. But what happened the last few years, when there wasn't much snow? Wasn't there money left over? If you budget each year for the average annual snowfall, and are careful to preserve any extra money in low-snow years -- don't spend it on something else! -- then you should be prepared for the occasional big-snow year like this one. ...more »
Add your commentWe've heard many times that this year's budget for snow removal was spent before February. But what happened the last few years, when there wasn't much snow? Wasn't there money left over? If you budget each year for the average annual snowfall, and are careful to preserve any extra money in low-snow years -- don't spend it on something else! -- then you should be prepared for the occasional big-snow year like this one.
« less full details »
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
7 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Snow Removal »Volunteer Day
Add your commentEach government worker in Fairfax has a free volunteer day. Make that day a day they shovel the sidewalks going to school bus stops. And make sure their volunteer day during the week is not used to work on the weekend, and get paid overtime.
-
I agree
Voting is Disabled
7 votes
I disagreeThis idea is active.Communications »Better Fairfax CEAN SMS alerts
Add your commentAlerts sent to cell phones through the Fairfax CEAN system need to include all important information or a phone number to call for more info, NOT just a message to "see email for details". We were without power for 12 hours and do not have email access on my cell phone, so these alerts were completely useless.
Social Web