Plow and Treat Operations Continue in 12-Hour Shifts Until All Roads Passable
ANNAPOLIS, MD - Overnight and through the morning hours on Monday, Annapolis saw roughly 6 to 7 inches of snowfall from a winter storm that has gripped the mid-Atlantic. City of Annapolis offices are closed. Maryland Gov. Wes Moore has declared a State of Emergency.
As of 10 a.m. on Monday, the City remains in a Phase 2 Snow Emergency. Snow plow crews have been on duty since midnight and will continue working in 12-hour shifts to address the snow accumulation. Efforts will focus on ensuring that essential routes are cleared in the following prioritized order:
- Snow Emergency Routes will be made passable within 30 hours of the end of the snowfall.
- Snow Connector Routes will be made passable within 42 hours of the end of the snowfall.
- All other routes will be made passable within 66 hours of the end of the snowfall.
“City crews are working tirelessly to clear the snow and keep our streets as safe as possible,” said Mayor Gavin Buckley. “We thank the public for staying off the roads so that our crews can work efficiently to move the snow.”
FORECAST: The National Weather Service has included most of the Western Shore of Maryland under a Winter Weather Warning until 1 a.m. on Tuesday. Snow is expected to taper off in the afternoon on Monday with a second round of snow predicted after 8 p.m. Additional accumulations this evening could be 2 to 3 inches. Temperatures are expected to remain at or below freezing through at least Friday, with temperatures in the teens overnight on Tuesday and Wednesday. For more on the forecast, visit the National Weather Service website.
GOVERNMENT OPERATING STATUS: City of Annapolis offices are closed on Monday, with the exception of essential services.
PLOWING OPERATIONS: The Annapolis Department of Public Works (DPW) began pretreatment of roadways at midnight with plowing and deicing operations continuing in 12-hour shifts throughout the course of this winter weather event. Staying off area roadways will allow plow drivers to more effectively complete the work.
SNOWPATHS: The City of Annapolis recently announced SnowPaths, an initiative to provide residents, business owners, and visitors with real-time GPS tracking of winter road maintenance during snow and ice events. Snowpaths is maintained by the Department of Public Works (DPW) and is accessible online at www.annapolis.gov/snowpaths.
FREE PARKING/REMOVE VEHICLES FROM EMERGENCY SNOW ROUTES: Vehicles are not permitted on Snow Emergency Routes. Complimentary parking is available at the four City garages: Park Place (1 Park Place), Knighton (1A Colonial Place), Gotts (45 Northwest Street) and Hillman (150 Gorman Street). The City will announce the reopening of roads and the conclusion of the free parking period at the end of the storm, giving residents at least six hours to retrieve their vehicle or be charged.
ANNAPOLIS TRANSIT: Transit operations are currently operating on a Saturday schedule, with service ending at 7 p.m. The Magenta Shuttle will operate in downtown from noon to 7 p.m. The State Shuttle will conclude operations at 7 p.m.. Please contact Transportation Dispatch at 410-263-7964 to check status if you need transit services.
RECREATION AND PARKS: Both the Roger “Pip” Moyer Recreation Center and the Stanton Center are closed on Monday with all programming canceled.
WARMING CENTER: The Stanton Center, at 92 West Washington Street in Annapolis, has activated as a temporary emergency warming center at the following times:
- Today, January 56 2025 through Tuesday, January 7, 2025, at 7 a.m. (continuous operations)
- Tuesday, January 7th, 2025, at 7:00 pm until Wednesday morning at 7:00 am
- Wednesday, January 8th, 2025, at 7:00 pm until Thursday morning at 7:00 am
- Thursday, January 9th, 2025, at 7:00 pm until Friday morning at 7:00 am
Please note all referrals must check-in to the Stanton Center nightly by 9 p.m. If there is a need for general or long-term sheltering assistance, please contact the Crisis Response System Warmline at 410-768-5522.
EMERGENCY OPERATIONS CENTER AND ANNAPOLIS CALL CENTER: The Emergency Operations Center (EOC) is currently at Partial activation. The Annapolis Call Center is operational throughout this event for non-emergency questions related to the winter storm and City Services. Annapolis residents can call 410-260-2211. For emergencies, dial 9-1-1.
SAFETY: Outdoor conditions may be treacherous - please use caution when stepping outside. Sidewalks and driveways may be icy and slippery, increasing the risk of fall and injury.
CLEAR SIDEWALKS: Annapolis City Code requires property owners to clear adjacent public sidewalks (including sidewalks in the side and rear of properties) of snow and ice within three hours after snow or sleet has stopped falling (or by 11 a.m. following an overnight snow event). Please assist neighbors who may otherwise be unable to clear sidewalks (also, never use fertilizer to melt snow and ice since the nitrogen and phosphorus in fertilizer can harm 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 fire hydrants after a winter storm. Buried hydrants cause dangerous delays for firefighters. This alleviates time spent searching 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.
STAY INFORMED:
Alert Annapolis – This system allows the City to send out automated telephone messages, text messages, or emails quickly and efficiently in the event of an emergency. The brief message will provide information on the emergency and any important instructions. To sign up for Alert Annapolis, please go to the following site https://alertannapolis.civicready.com/ or text “ANNAPOLIS” to 38276.
Prepare Me Annapolis Mobile App – This free app from OEM provides real-time alerts and information for Annapolitans to be prepared in any type of emergency. Prepare Me Annapolis is available, free of charge, on both the Apple Store and Google Play.
Visit the City on social media at: www.Facebook.com/CityofAnnapolis and www.instagram.com/cityofannapolismd.
