Preparing for Snow Season: Quick Links, Facts and Phone Numbers

Rockville Offers Tips for What to Do and How to Help in a Snow Emergency Rockville, Md., Jan. 11 – As cold winter weather sets in, residents are reminded to be prepared with shovels and salt or sand for sidewalks and driveways, and to keep in mind how the City of Rockville responds to winter weather and what the community can do to help. Stay Informed When winter weather strikes, turn to the city’s website at www.rockvillemd.gov/winterweather. Closure and snow emergency information is available at www.rockvillemd.gov/weather, and through email notices, social media, and by signing up for Alert Rockville notifications. Learn more at www.rockvillemd.gov/connections. Snow Removal The city clears snow from 160 lane-miles of city-maintained roadways, 30 miles of publicly owned sidewalks, walkways and pathways, and 18 city-owned facilities and parks with parking lots. City-maintained roads have blue street signs. Privately maintained roads have white street signs and are the responsibility of homeowners associations or business owners. Crews treat and plow roads in the following order: Primary roads, which are major arterial roads, roads in central business districts and primary residential roads. Secondary roads, which are the remaining residential streets, alleyways and cul-de-sacs. Removing snow from sidewalks, driveways and entrances is the responsibility of the property and/or business owner or occupant unless a community association has assumed the responsibility. Snow and ice must be cleared from all paved sidewalks abutting a property as follows: Up to 3 inches: Clear within 24 hours. 3 to 9 inches: Clear within 48 hours. 10 inches or more: Clear within 72 hours. If residents are able to do so, they should clear ice, snow and other debris from around fire hydrants and storm drains, and avoid shoveling snow into the street when possible. Following these tips will help the city return to normal operations as quickly as possible. Important Telephone Numbers Emergency: 911. Report a Downed Tree: 240-314-8700. Report a Pepco Power Outage: 1-877-737-2662. Public Works Streets Division: 240-314-8570. City Recreation Programs Status: 240-314-5023. Snow Removal Help or Volunteer to Help: 240-314-8810. Montgomery County’s 24-Hour Crisis Center Hotline: 240-777-4000. (Anyone in Montgomery County who needs assistance to stay warm can visit the county Crisis Center at 1301 Piccard Drive.) Rockville City Hall: 240-314-5000. Rockville City Police Department (non-emergency): 240-314-8900. Snow Emergencies Significant, deep snow could lead the city manager to declare a snow emergency. If a snow emergency is declared, the city will announce the status through local and social media and Alert Rockville, via the city’s website and on Rockville 11 (cable channel 11). Snow emergencies were declared last winter on Feb. 16 and March 4. The snow emergency ordinance states: The city manager may invoke snow emergency parking restrictions. The city may remove or impound cars improperly parked. Residents with driveways must park all vehicles there. Residents without driveways, or who have more vehicles than will fit in the driveway, may park on the even-numbered side of the street only. In courts or cul-de-sacs, where house numbers are not even on one side of the street and odd on the other, parking is allowed only on the left side of the street when entering the cul-de-sac or court. No parking is allowed in the bulb of a cul-de-sac or court. A $100 fine may be incurred for a snow emergency parking violation. MEDIA CONTACT: Marylou Berg Director of Communication 240-314-8105 mberg@rockvillemd.gov

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