For Immediate Release: Monday, February 8, 2010
In responding to the record 30-inch snowfall of last weekend, Montgomery County has about 1,000 Department of Transportation employees and contractors and an unprecedented 800 pieces of equipment on the street. During the storm the County treated and plowed emergency and primary routes. Once the snowstorm ended at 4:20 p.m. on Saturday, County employees and contractors completed clearing the primary and secondary roads. They finished those efforts by Sunday midnight.
Since early Monday, all efforts have been fully focused on 4,128 miles of neighborhood roads – divided into 140 plow routes – with workers and machinery laboring around-the-clock to clear the snow as soon as possible.
Thousands still remain without power and hundreds of trees are down. The County continues to work closely with PEPCO to provide them with the snowplows, tree crews, and other assistance they need to restore service.
The shelter at Richard Montgomery High School, 250 Richard Montgomery Drive in Rockville, remains open. Transport to the center is being handled by County volunteers with 4-wheel-drive vehicles and by Maryland National Guard members. Medical emergency calls continue to be handled by Fire & Rescue.
Montgomery County government will be open tomorrow, Tuesday, February 9, for normal operations, with liberal leave for employees.
Ride On buses will operate on an “S” Service Plan on Tuesday. Parking enforcement in County garages and parking lots will remain suspended through Thursday. County liquor stores will be open. The Solid Waste Transfer Station will close at 5 PM on Tuesday.
Given piles of plowed snow along streets and at intersections, County officials urge motorists and pedestrians to continue to exercise extreme caution. Residents should continue to check in on friends and neighbors to make sure they are all right.
If there is an emergency, County residents should call 911. Please do not call 911 with snow plowing questions, as that delays responses to emergency calls. For snow calls, call 240-777-6000 or email [email protected]. To volunteer with a 4-wheel drive vehicle, call 240-777-2600.
Release ID: 10-073
Media Contact: Public Information Office 240-777-6507