2015-2016 Snow Removal Operations

A Fairfax County, VA, publication

Department of Public Works and Environmental Services

Working for You!

2015 -16 Snow Removal Operations

November 18, 2015

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2015-16 Snow Removal Operations

Balancing Act

Water Quality

Resources

User Desires & Expectations

Weather

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2014-15 Winter Weather

• More events compared to 2013-14• More small events 19 one-day events compared to

10 one-day events for 2013-14• 11 events for freezing rain or ice • Less snow but the western part of the county experienced

14 inches above the average

MSMD Winter Weather DOC Activations and/or Responses

Winter Weather Season

Total No of Events

No of Events <

1 day

No of Events >2 days

Total No of Days

No of Freezing

Rain and/or Ice Events

Total Snowfall

IAD

Historical Average Snowfall

IAD

Total Snow Fall

DCA

Historical Average Snowfall

DCA

2014-15 25 19 6 32 11 35.9" 22" 18.3" 15.4"

2013-14 20 10 10 36 0 52.8" 22" 32" 15.4"

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Why Was the 2014-15 Winter Different?• A significant number of “High Impact Storms”

– Smaller storms (more difficult to forecast)– Little or no accumulation– Very cold temperatures

• February 2015 coldest month in more than 20 years regionally– Road temperatures 20 degrees or lower– Combined with rush hour traffic

https://www.google.com/url?sa=i&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&frm=1&source=images&cd=&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CAcQjRxqFQoTCLOq-7KPjskCFYF7PgodjW4ELQ&url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/12/10/d-c-area-forecast-quick-snow-hit-this-morning-then-cold-into-unsettled-weekend/&psig=AFQjCNFpDUvIQ4V7X1x3ROiNO1BkAIg_lQ&ust=1447528664263893

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Our Snow Captains

Bobby Kerns Jonathan Murray

Richard Latimer Dave Snyder

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Role of Snow Captains• Open Department of Operations Center

(DOC)

• Manage snow removal operations– 12- hour shifts - Team A and Team B– Scalable teams

• Monitoring weather

• Manage equipment

• Ensure employee safety & training

• Communicate directly with County leadership and liaisons

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Maintenance and Stormwater Management Division, DPWES

Scope of Operations

• 152 Building Complexes– Vehicular Travel Ways– ADA Compliance – Critical Walkways– Non-Critical Walkways

• 75 Roadway Segments– County Roads– Developer Default Roads

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Operational Resources• MSMD

– Staff – Up to 50 per shift– Equipment - Approximately 18 drivable pieces– Contract Support – Valley Crest

• Wastewater Collections– Staff – Up to 20 per shift– Equipment –

• Eight MSMD Snow Blowers Assigned

• Solid Waste– Staff - Up to 40 per shift– Equipment –

• Two MSMD trucks assigned• Several MSW pickups harnessed for plows

• DVS– Typically two mechanics

• Community Labor Force– Up to 35 volunteers and seven sheriff deputies

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Key Resource Challenges• Approximately one plow per 12

complexes

• Facilities are spread across a large geographic area – – Good weather travel time vs. BAD

weather travel time

• Only three locations for staging and chemical storage

• Timing of the event

• Equipped/staffed for 4” to 8” event – beyond this we’re pretty stretched

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Applying Resources Efficiently• Solid Waste I-66 Transfer Station handles

vehicular & pedestrian areas at:– Alliance Drive / MPSTOC– Transfer Station– Government Center Complex

• MSMD is assigned all other vehicular areas throughout the County including Park & Ride / Commuter Lots.

• Solid Waste I-95 handles walkways in Area “D”

• Wastewater Collections handles walkways in Area “C”

• Contracting handles walkways in Area “A” and “B”

A

CD

B

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BOS-Approved - Order of Site Priority• Priority 1 Sites (75)

– Police Stations / Gov’t Centers (17)– Fire Stations (31)– Mass Transit Facilities (16)– Public Safety Center/MPSTOC (10)– Emergency Services (1)

• Priority 2 Sites (36)– Health Centers/24-hr Shelters (21)– Other Essential Facilities (15)

• Priority 3 Sites (41)– Libraries (21)– Community Centers / Others (20) (Fire Training Academy,

Police Training Academy, etc.)

• Priority 4 Sites (75)– Neighborhood Roads (47) – Developer Default Roads (24) – Other (4)

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Phases for Walkway Efforts

• Phase 1 – Handicap Parking – Accessible Routes

• Phase 2 – Main on-site walkways

• Phase 3– Non-critical on-site walks– Adjacent ROW sidewalks

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What You Can Expect

• During the Event (snow is falling)– 75 Priority 1 Sites– Only plow travel ways– Handicap parking– Phase 1 walkways

• After the Event (snow stopped falling)– Total site cleanup at all 152 sites – Phase 2 & 3 walkways– 75 road segments

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Operational TargetsCounty Facility or Government

Campus Site 0 to 2 inches 2 to 6 inches 6 to 9 inches Ice and Freezing Rain

County Government Center includes Herrity and Pennino Building

Up to 6 hours after the storm ends

Up to 8 to 12 hours after the storm ends



Public Safety Center- MPSTOC- Courts and Detention Centers - Pine Ridge EMCC

Police District and Fire Stations

Magisterial District Offices Up to 6 hours after the storm ends




Commuter Parking Lots Up to 6 hours after the storm ends




Health Centers and Essential County Facilities Up to 12 hours after

the storm endsUp to 18 hours after the

storm endsUp to 24 hours after the

storm endsUp to 12 hours after the

storm ends

Libraries, Community Centers and other Facilities Up to 12 hours after

the storm endsUp to 12 to 18 hours after the

storm endsUp to 1 day to 2 days after the storm ends


Road Maintenance and Improvement and subdivisions in Developer Default

Up to 1 day after the storm ends

Up to 1 to 2 days after the storm ends

Up to 2 to 3 days after the storm ends

Up to 1 day after the storm ends

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Snow Operations Planning• Committed Staff Teams

• Snow-worthy Equipment

• Stock Material

• Update Snow Operational Plan

• SOP to Protect Water Quality

• Communication Plan– Outreach– Liaisons

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Role of Agency Liaisons

• Understand what we do

• Communicate with their facilities

• Help Snow Captains understand agency priorities within the Board approved snow removal priority system

• Liaison partnership– MSMD Phone Number

703-877-2800

Emergency Operations Center

(EOC)

MSMD Department Operations

Center (DOC)

Board of Supervisors

Liaisons

Agency Liaisons

Agency Heads

DOC Liaisons

Emily Abbott Carolyn Weber

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Preparations

• Prepare Equipment & Staff– Training staff on safety and

equipment – Self-help barrels– Parking lot staking– Brine solution

• Monitor the Weather

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Wrinkles to the Operational Plan

• Mechanical breakdowns

• Parking lot, personal property, and equipment damage

• Confusion on the part of citizens regarding VDOT/County plowing responsibilities

• Requests to deviate significantly from the Snow Plan during a storm event (bypassing liaisons)

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Cornerstones for Success

• Dedicated Staff (and their families!)

• Early Preparations– Pre-Season– Pre-Storm

•Good Communication– Internal Partnerships – External Expectations

• A Little Bit of Good Luck– Weather, Timing & Traffic

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Questions?

Additional Information

For additional information, please contact

www.fairfaxcounty.gov/dpwes

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Irene Haske, Public Information Officer

703-324-5821, TTY 711

[email protected]

2015-2016 Snow Removal Operations

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