Update, 11:12 a.m., Wednesday: Fairfax County Public Schools have issued a statement on why no delay or closing, even though snow was falling hard this morning:
“Each decision is based on the best information available at the time. All of the school divisions in the DC area opened at their regular time this morning. It was our belief that – based on the forecast and the timing of the snow – we could proceed with opening of our schools at the regular time. If we had delayed the opening of school, it would have put us into the heavier snow showers that were initially forecasted. We’ve had a few bus delays but no serious problems.”
Original story: The 1 to 3 inches of snow predicted to fall overnight delivered, with Reston residents waking up Wednesday to snow-covered trees and slick roads.
Fairfax County Public Schools, which have already had seven snow days and several delayed starts this winter, opened on time, making it slow going for buses and cars.
Fairfax County Police reported several spin outs and other incidents.
The federal government announced the option of unscheduled leave for workers.
How was your ride to work or school? Tell us in the comments.
Tuesday saw some unexpected snow. Wednesday will bring some of the expected white stuff.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory from 1 a.m. to noon Wednesday for most of the Washington, D.C., area, including Fairfax County.
About 1 to 3 inches are expected. The snow will taper off about noon. Temperatures will be in the 20s, says the NWS.
Reston Now will update this story if there are any road problems or school delays.
The predicted dusting of snow has turned into more of a nuisance than first predicted as fat flakes fell all morning in Reston and nearby areas, sticking to grassy areas. The National Weather Service says Northern Virginia may see up to three inches Tuesday.
From the NWS:
…WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT UNTIL 2 PM EST THIS
AFTERNOON…THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS
ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW…WHICH IS IN EFFECT
UNTIL 2 PM EST THIS AFTERNOON.* PRECIPITATION TYPE…SNOW.
* ACCUMULATIONS…1 TO 3 INCHES.
* TIMING…THROUGH 2PM.
* TEMPERATURES…AROUND 30.
* WINDS…WEST 5 TO 10 MPH.
* IMPACTS…UNTREATED ROADWAYS WILL BE SLICK.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW
WILL CAUSE PRIMARILY TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SNOW
COVERED ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES…AND USE CAUTION WHILE
DRIVING.
Fairfax County Supervisors have been looking at how to solve the “who shovels the sidewalks” issue for more than a decade.
There has been much outcry this week from residents in Reston, who find themselves — and their schoolchildren — tromping through unshoveled sidewalks, walking in the street and being blocked by three-foot-high snow piles after last week’s storm dumped more than a foot here.
That has left many residents confused as to who is supposed to shovel what. Reston Association is responsible for Reston property. Homeowners are responsible for the sidewalks in front of their homes on side streets and subdivisions. Schools try and shovel the sidewalks closest to the buildings.
Main roads are Virginia Department of Transportation’s responsibility. But they just plow streets, not sidewalks.
Bruce Wright, a Reston resident and chair of Fairfax Advocates for Better Bicycling (FAAB), did some research and found that the supervisors have discussed this issue five times in the past 14 years, but no real change has come.
The most recent discussion was in 2011, when Braddock Supervisor John Cook suggested developing an informal program that “encourages and organizes volunteers to assist in the clearing of trails and sidewalks.”
“Supervisor Cook said that trails and sidewalks are key assets and pieces of infrastructure that are used not only for exercise and enjoyment, but also commuting,” meeting minutes of May 24 say. “Unfortunately, due to budgetary constraints, the County is unable to ensure these particular pieces of infrastructure stay clean, clear and accessible. To address this glaring need, the County’s Trails and Sidewalks Committee is asking that volunteer support for cleaning and clearing sidewalk and asphalt trail surfaces be authorized to help maintain public walkways in an acceptable condition. “
A motion to direct the county executive to develop guidelines for implementing a citizen volunteer trail and sidewalk maintenance program was unanimously passed, but no program was established.
“What’s the solution? Fairfax County needs a snow clearing ordinance, with exceptions for the elderly and others who physically can’t remove snow on public sidewalks and trails adjacent to their property,” Wright writes on the FAAB blog. “Volunteers could be on call to assist. Business owners and residents would have to figure out how to clear snow from their sidewalks. HOA’s could include sidewalk snow removal in their budgets.”
“VDOT should tell their snow plow drivers to try to avoid dumping snow on curb ramps at intersections. VDOT and the county should identify key transportation trails used by cyclists and clear them of snow: the W&OD Trail, the Fairfax County Parkway Trail, and others.”
Does Fairfax County need a snow removal policy to protect walkers? What is the solution? Tell us your thoughts in the comments.
Photo: A man walks in the street on Wiehle Avenue to avoid the snow piles. Credit: Bruce Wright
Last week’s snow is slowly melting in Reston, but not fast enough for sidewalks to be fully clear as students walk to school.
FCPS was in session Monday (and in session with a two-hour delay Tuesday), and dozens of students could be seen making the walk to school such as South Lakes High School, Terraset Elementary and Langston Hughes Middle School, through the snow on unshoveled sidewalks as well as in the street.
All three of those schools are located along Ridge Heights Road, where there are high snowbanks and cars parked along the road, making for a narrow passage. Sidewalks are shoveled in stops and starts. For instance, they are cleared right in front of Hughes and South Lakes, likely shoveled by the school staff, but more than a foot of snow blocks the path in the immediate areas leading to the schools.
The problem seems to be the same at most Reston schools. One Lake Anne Elementary parent calls the situation in front of that school “a nightmare.”
“Our principal was out today, you can tell he was very concerned,” said Shaughessy Pierce, the mother of a second grader. “It is genuinely not safe. There are kids walking from the neighborhoods and the Kiss-and-Ride space is not big enough, so people often park their cars and walk kids in. And it seems none of the Fairway [Apartments] sidewalks were plowed. It is a mess.”
The walking routes are a bit of a hot potato around here. In Reston, Reston Association is responsible for clearing paths. Homeowners Associations are responsible for clearing snow from their neighborhood sidewalks. Most neighborhood associations also pay private contractors to
The problem is, main roads in Reston are neither RA nor homeowners association property. Technically, they are Virginia Department of Transportation streets. And VDOT sticks to clearing roads for vehicles, not sidewalks for walkers.
Says RA:
Reston Association attempts to remove snow from pathways and sidewalks owned by RA within a reasonable time after a snowfall. Please note that sidewalks and pathways not on RA property, including many found along Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) roads and rights-of-way, are not the responsibility of RA to maintain. Public streets and public rights-of-way are VDOT’s responsibility, but it is RA’s understanding that neither VDOT nor Fairfax County remove snow from public sidewalks.
Please contact VDOT directly for information related to their standards of maintenance and snow removal or to report roads that have been missed (Highway Helpline at 1-800-367-7623).
Private streets not on RA property, such as those located within condominium associations, cluster associations and/or apartment complexes, are generally the responsibility of the applicable owner, condominium association or cluster association. Residents of those facilities should contact their association or property management company.
RA encourages all owners who may have public sidewalks adjacent to their properties to clear these for the safe passage of pedestrians, including school children, persons with disabilities and the elderly.
Meanwhile, FCPS is asking that homeowners pitch in to make the walk to school safer.
“While not legally obligated, residents and businesses are asked to help keep walkways safe for the community – we need your help!,” FCPS said on its Facebook page. “When possible, please clear snow off the sidewalks in front of or next to your property so that pedestrians may walk more safely.”
Does this concern you? Take our poll and offer a solution in the comments.
All Fairfax County public schools will open two hours late Tuesday, February 18. Offices will open on time.
From FCPS:
Morning preschool (special education) classes are canceled.
Afternoon preschool (special education) classes start on their regular schedule.
Full-day preschool (special education) and Family and Early Childhood Education Program/Head Start classes start two hours later than the regular schedule.
Morning field trips are canceled.
SACC centers will be open by 7:15 a.m.
Morning transportation for high school academy classes is canceled. Afternoon academy transportation will be provided.
Adult and community education classes will start on time.
Winter weather is heading back to the area overnight. The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Weather Advisory. The Reston area could see about an inch of snow late Monday into Tuesday.
From the NWS:
WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST TUESDAY…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY FOR SNOW… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST TUESDAY.
* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW. SNOW MAY END AS A BRIEF PERIOD OF SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN.
* ACCUMULATIONS… 1 TO 2 INCHES. LITTLE OR NO ICE ACCUMULATION FROM FREEZING RAIN.
* TIMING… LATE THIS EVENING THROUGH OVERNIGHT.
* TEMPERATURES… MIDDLE TO UPPER 20S.
* WINDS… SOUTHEAST 5 TO 10 MPH.
* IMPACTS… ROADS WILL BE SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY… AND WITH TEMPERATURES BELOW FREEZING ANY UNTREATED ROADS WILL REMAIN SNOW COVERED AND SLIPPERY THROUGH THE MORNING RUSH.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY MEANS THAT PERIODS OF SNOW… SLEET AND FREEZING RAIN WILL CAUSE TRAVEL DIFFICULTIES. BE PREPARED FOR SLIPPERY ROADS AND LIMITED VISIBILITIES… AND USE CAUTION WHILE DRIVING.
When Reston gets a big snowfall, everyone wants to know one thing: When is my street going to get plowed?
Wednesday and Thursday’s storm dropped more than a foot here, and now the community is trying to get back to normal. But some members are confused as to who is responsible for clearing the roads and parking spots.
News to know: Reston Association is not responsible. RA’s territory is RA property, such as the parking lots of Walker Nature Education Center and the pools. The association also plows the 55 miles of bike paths in Reston.
Most Reston neighborhoods are part of cluster or homeowners’ associations. If this is you, you likely pay quarterly or monthly dues in addition to your annual Reston Association assessment. Part of those dues go for snow removal with a private contractor. If you are concerned that the street has not been plowed, contact your cluster president. You should receive regular communication from the cluster via e-mail or flyer.
Not sure which cluster you belong to or who is on the board? Start with RA’s neighborhood list.
If you are not in a cluster, then your street is likely plowed by Virginia Department of Transportation crews. VDOT is also responsible for main roads and secondary roads such as Sunrise Valley Drive, Reston Parkway and Fox Mill Road.
Visit VDOTPlows.org to see a real-time map of when your street will see a plow.
More snow fell overnight on top of the 13 inches or so already on the ground, which may turn plowed streets and shoveled sidewalks back into the mess they were earlier.
Nonetheless, many around here are trying to get back to business as usual. Here are some updates as of 7:30 a.m. Friday:
Fairfax County Public Schools are closed.
The Federal Government is on a two-hour delay.
Fairfax County government is opening at noon.
Fairfax County Public Libraries are closed.
Northern Virginia Community College is closed.
Transportation:
- VDOT says many roads are still very icy. Check VDOT’s VA 511 site to see conditions.
- Fairfax Connector is running weekday service, starting at 6 a.m., with slight detours.
- Fastran will transport dialysis, chemotherapy, and radiation trips only. All other scheduled route services including: senior centers, adult day health care, Women’s Recovery Center, senior residence trips, and charter services are canceled.
- Virginia Railway Express will only operate trains with an “S” above its train number.
- Metrobus will run limited service only on selected major arterial roadways.
Trash:
- Fairfax County Collection Customers: Trash and recycling collection service has been suspended for Thursday and Friday customers as a result of the weather and road conditions.
The National Zoo will open at noon.
Reston Association offices will open at noon.
Friday’s horse-drawn carriage rides at Reston Town Center are cancelled due to the snow. Most restaurants and stores plan to be open though.
Airports:
- Thursday featured a record number of canceled flights. The main runway at Reagan National is open and several runways at Dulles International are open. However, check with your individual airline as there still may be many cancellations and delays.
Even though a few flakes to a few inches are predicted to fall Thursday evening, most of the precipitation in Reston turned to intermittent sleet and cold rain throughout the day.
Fairfax County Public Schools announced at 4 p.m. there would be an additional snow day on Friday as residents continued to dig out.
So how bad was it? National Weather Service trained spotters (and a few unofficial residents with rulers) put the snowfall at about 13.5 inches, give or take a little drifting.
That makes the Wednesday night-Thursday night storm pretty bad, but not the worst one-day total we have seen around here. It was, however, the most that fell in one day since Dec. 19, 2009, when 15 inches fell at Dulles. The “Snowmaggedeon” storm of February 2010 dumped 32 inches at Dulles, but that was over a three-day period.
The 13.5 inches ranks this storm No. 6 in one-day totals as measured at Dulles.
An additional one-to-three inches of snow may fall Thursday night. The Winter Storm Warning remains in effect until 1 a.m. Friday.
Many people heeded officials’ warnings to stay off the roads, but some ventured out. Virginia State Police reported 78 traffic crashes, 172 disabled vehicles and 510 calls for service through noon on Thursday.
There was one death reported, when a Virginia Department of Transportation contractor was hit by another truck in Ashburn.
Others just had fun. There were dogs playing, snowmen sprouting — and this guy “waterskiing” down Ridge Heights Road.
Many Reston businesses were closed Thursday as crews still had not plowed some streets. Want to know when your street might be plowed? Visit www.vdotplows.org.
FCPS has already used seven snow days, and Friday will be the eighth. Makeup days will be held Feb. 17 and April 7. According to the school calendar, the school year may be extended a day to June 23 in exchange for today’s snow day, though FCPS has not made an official announcement. Friday’s snow day may not need to be made up.
Check out a gallery of great Reston snow photos here.
Photo of Reston Town Center Thursday morning by Ed Scheudel vis Twitter.
Reston residents were up at daybreak to show the snow at their homes Thursday.
About a foot of snow had fallen by 7 a.m. — and more is predicted as the day goes on. The National Weather Service’s Winter Storm Warning is in effect until Friday at 1 a.m.
Fairfax County Government, Fairfax County Public Schools and Dulles International Airport are among the many places that are closed.
How are you spending your snow day?
Take any good pictures? Send them to us at [email protected] or on Facebook or Twitter.
Update, 9:30 a.m.: Virginia State Police say there has been on fatality on Northern Virginia roads today. A VDOT contractor was killed when his truck collided with another truck in Ashburn early Thursday, Ashburn Patch reports.
Original story: The winter storm predicted for Reston and the rest of Northern Virginia overnight delivered.
About 10 inches of snow has already fallen here as of 6:30 a.m. Thursday, with snow forecast to fall throughout the day. A total of 12-15 inches might be on the ground before the storm is over, forecasters say.
The National Weather Services’ Winter Storm Warning is in effect through Friday.
The Federal Government is closed.
Fairfax County Government and courts are closed.
Fairfax County Public Schools are closed.
All runways at Dulles International and Reagan National Airport are closed as of 6:45 a.m.
Fairfax Connector has canceled all service.
The George Washington Parkway Northbound from Interstate 495 to the Key Bridge near Turkey Run is closed.
Public safety officials are urging residents to stay off the road. If you need to check road conditions, visit www.VDOT’s Virginia 511 website.
Have a great snow photo? Send it to us at [email protected] or tweet us at @restonnow.
Photo by Spence via Twitter.
Fairfax County Public Schools have canceled classes on Thursday, Feb. 13 due to the impending snow.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect from 8 p.m. Wednesday through Thursday evening, and as much as 10 inches have been predicted for Reston and nearby areas.
From FCPS:
All Fairfax County public schools and offices will be closed on Thursday, Feb. 13. The following activities in schools and on school grounds are canceled:
- extracurricular activities
- interscholastic contests
- team practices
- field trips
- middle school after-school programs
- professional learning and training courses
- all adult and community education classes
- recreation programs and community use by outside groups not affiliated with FCPS
School Age Child Care (SACC) centers are closed.
A snow storm is slated to hit the Reston area after sunset Wednesday night. The area is under a Winter Storm Warning, and 4 to 8 inches of snow could fall here between Wednesday night and Thursday afternoon.
Closings
- Fairfax County Public Schools have canceled all evening activities on Wednesday.
- Metrobus late-night bus service will be cancelled after 1 a.m. tonight, and MetroAccess service for riders with disabilities will be suspended tomorrow.
- Metrobus: Scheduled Metrobus trips that connect with the last trains of the night are expected to operate; however, all other Metrobus trips that originate at or after 1:00 a.m. will be cancelled tonight. (Metrobus trips that originate before 1:00 a.m.will continue to their final destination, even if the arrival time is later than 1:00 a.m.)
- MetroAccess: Due to the weather forecast and expected road conditions, all MetroAccess paratransit service will be suspended on Thursday. Service will be restored when it is safe to do so; however a time for service restoration is not yet known.
Updates
- Fairfax County’s Emergency Information blog has this list of reminders and important numbers.
- Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has issued a state of emergency for the commonwealth. A state of emergency, authorizes state agencies to position resources to prepare for the storm and recovery, including the Virginia Department of Emergency Management, the Department of Transportation, the Virginia National Guard and utility companies. McAuliffe said Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) crews are conducting anti-icing operations on major roadways across the state in preparation for the storm.
- VDOT says more than 12,300 pieces of equipment, including trucks and plows will be deployed. VDOT is also prepared to remove trees, branches and other debris that may fall on roadways. The agency said its goal is to have roads passable within 48 hours of the storm. To see when your street may be plowed after two inches of snow falls, visit www.vdotplows.org.
Update, Tuesday 5:20 p.m. — Virginia Gov. Terry McAuliffe has declared a state of emergency for Virginia. This an authorizes state agencies to be ready to assist local governments in responding to the major snow storm that is forecast to hit the Commonwealth Wednesday.
Update, Tuesday 9:30 a.m. — Current forecasting models say as little as three inches or as many as 20 may fall in the Metro D.C. area. The Washington Post’s Capital Weather Gang breaks it down.
Original story:
The biggest snowstorm of the season may be on the way for Northern Virginia.
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for the area from Wednesday evening through Thursday evening.
The event could bring as much as five or more inches of snow. The NWS expects to update the forecast Tuesday, and Reston Now will report any changes.
Here is the full forecast from the NWS:
… WINTER STORM WATCH IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING…
THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN BALTIMORE MD/WASHINGTON HAS ISSUED A WINTER STORM WATCH… WHICH IS IN EFFECT FROM WEDNESDAY EVENING THROUGH THURSDAY EVENING.
* PRECIPITATION TYPE… SNOW AND SLEET
* ACCUMULATIONS… THE POTENTIAL FOR 5 OR MORE INCHES OF SNOW AND SLEET.
* TIMING… SNOW IS EXPECTED TO MOVE IN FROM THE SOUTH WEDNESDAY EVENING. SNOW MAY MIX WITH SLEET AND RAIN LATE WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. THE SNOW COULD BE HEAVY AT TIMES WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY.
* TEMPERATURES… IN THE MID TO UPPER 20S 20S WEDNESDAY NIGHT… SLOWLY RISING INTO THE LOWER AND MIDDLE 30S THURSDAY AFTERNOON.
* WINDS… NORTH 15 TO 25 MPH WITH GUSTS UP TO 35 MPH.
* IMPACTS… ROADS MAY BECOME SNOW AND SLEET COVERED AND SLIPPERY. TRAVEL MAY BE DANGEROUS WEDNESDAY NIGHT AND THURSDAY. HEAVY WET SNOW COULD LEAD TO SOME POWER OUTAGES.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS…
A WINTER STORM WATCH MEANS THERE IS A POTENTIAL FOR SIGNIFICANT SNOW AND SLEET ACCUMULATIONS THAT MAY IMPACT TRAVEL. CONTINUE TO MONITOR THE LATEST FORECASTS.
