As of 3 p.m. Tuesday, 100 Percent of Snow Emergency and Connector Roads are Passable, Crews Continue Clearing Snow in Neighborhoods in 12-hour Shifts
ANNAPOLIS, MD - City of Annapolis Department of Public Works crews worked overnight and throughout the day Tuesday to continue treating and plowing roadways. As of 3 p.m. on Tuesday, about 24 hours after the snowfall ended, DPW Director Michael Johnson reported that 100 percent of the arterial (Snow Emergency) routes and connector roads were treated and had at least one pass with a plow. DPW has 500 tons of salt and will continue fielding crews overnight and Wednesday.
“This was a heavy snow with lots of branches down and trees uprooted,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley. “I know our DPW and Rec and Parks staff have been out in bitterly cold conditions, working long hours and they should know we appreciate their work.”
At an emergency management meeting on Tuesday, Director Johnson expressed his gratitude for the cooperation of other City departments, especially Recreation and Parks workers who continued to work their way through a list of sites where plows were blocked by fallen trees and limbs.
“They’ve gone above and beyond,” Johnson said. “When we’re dealing with a storm like this, we need all hands on deck and I am grateful we could work together to better serve our residents.”
The City of Annapolis Snow Emergency Plan (available HERE) allows 96 hours after a snowfall of more than 8” (but less than 15”) for City crews to make all streets in the City passable. The snowfall on Monday ended in the mid-afternoon. These helpful links can residents understand how streets are prioritized for snow removal:
Map of Snow Emergency routes and connectors
List of City roads with Snow Emergency, connector and neighborhood designations
National Weather Service forecast: Warmer weather on Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday should aid snow removal efforts through melting. The high on Wednesday will be 40F to 44F.. Officials are monitoring a second system that could come from the South early Friday morning. Temperatures will be just below freezing and an early morning shower could coat the Annapolis area in a “glaze of ice.” If the storm produces precipitation, it could impact the Friday morning commute. The National Weather Service has issued a statement, but as Friday approaches, emergency management officials will be alert to any warnings or watches. Southerly storms often bring storm surge and coastal flooding. Look for higher-than-usual tides on Friday evening (7 p.m.), Saturday morning (6:36 a.m.), Saturday evening (7:45 p.m.) and Sunday morning (7:37 a.m.). Expect the highest tides with this system to occur on Saturday evening (2.8 feet to 3.4 feet at City Dock).
Power Outages: Baltimore Gas and Electric (BGE) reported about 1,300 Annapolis residents without power. About 800 of these are divided evenly between West Annapolis and the Forest Drive corridor. When those two segments of the powergrid are restored, the majority of residents with outages will again have power. BGE expects to have everyone restored by Wednesday afternoon after deploying mutual assistance from neighboring states.
Annapolis Transit will begin operations on-time on Wednesday (5:30 a.m.), including paratransit and Circulator service.
Annapolis Refuse and Recycling collections will continue with Tuesday pickups being done on Wednesday. Thursday and Friday collections are unchanged.
Recreation and Parks: The “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center will follow regularly scheduled opening time on Wednesday. For schedule changes or snow-related closures, please visit the Recreation and Parks FACEBOOK page or the Pip Moyer Recreation Center FACEBOOK page.
Garage Parking: Parking remains free during the Snow Emergency at the three City garages (Knighton, Hillman, and Gotts). City officials will reassess the end of free garage parking on Wednesday morning after evaluating overnight conditions. The garages are currently open. To exit from Knighton Garage (1A Colonial Avenue), Hillman Garage (150 Gorman Street), and Gotts Garage (25 Northeast Street), simply drive out, the gates are open.
Residents Must Clear Their Section of Sidewalk: The Annapolis City Code requires residents to clear sidewalks (Section 14.24.010) within three hours after the snow or sleet has stopped falling, except between 3 p.m. and 6 a.m. Violation of this code requirement is subject to a $100 fine/per day. Please lend a hand to any neighbors who may be physically or otherwise unable to clear sidewalks. (Never use fertilizer to melt ice and snow; the nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizer can harm your local streams, groundwater and the Chesapeake Bay!)
Adopt-a-Hydrant: The Annapolis Fire Department asks residents to “Adopt-a-Hydrant,” where residents help to clear hydrants after a winter storm. Buried hydrants cause dangerous delays for firefighters. This alleviates time spent by firefighters who have to search for hydrants buried in drifts or plowed snow in case of an emergency. Volunteers should clear a wide enough perimeter from around the area of the hydrant (at least 3 feet). Also, clear a path from the hydrant to the street. Please wear visible and weather-appropriate clothing when clearing snow/ice.
Warming Center Opening: The Stanton Center, at 92 West Washington Street in Annapolis, is open as a warming center from 7 p.m. through 7 a.m. through the morning of January 10. Please note that masks are required, all COVID-19 safety protocols must be followed, and all referrals must check-in to the Stanton Center nightly by 9 p.m.
Stay Informed:
Download the “Prepare Me Annapolis” mobile app to receive important push notifications on your smartphone. The app is available for both Apple and Android devices.
Sign up for Alert Annapolis, a community notification system. Receive voicemails, text messages, and/or emails in case of emergencies or other events. Find out more at http://alertannapolis.civicready.com
Connect with the City on social media:
Facebook: www.Facebook.com/CityofAnnapolis
Twitter: www.Twitter.com/cityofannapolis
