RSS FeedSidewalk Snow Removal: Winners & Losers
While it is true that this past weekend we were blanketed with an uprecedented amount of snow, 24 hours after it stops the sidewalks are supposed to be clear. We list a few of the buildings/storefronts we thought did a particularly good or bad job of shoveling the snow, and we welcome your comments as well.
The Good:
- Bruegger’s Bagels– They stayed open the entire weekend and their sidewalk stayed as clear as possible during the storm.
- The FBI–Sure they’re a government agency, but not all of our similar neighbors were doing as well (we’re looking at you DOJ). The FBI was removing the snow all day Saturday & Sunday.
- 7th Street–The main drag in PQ, while not as clear as the FBI, by Sunday morning you could get by reasonably well up and down 7th from E to H streets.
The Bad:
- West side of 9th Street–Specifically between E & F. From Gordon Biersch to Subway, you couldn’t maneuver on 9th Street easily until Monday morning.
- Weschler’s–We hate to include our favorite auction house on this list, but when all of the snow on E street had been removed, there was still a large icy patch in front of Weschler’s Monday morning.
- Crossings at Penn Ave–Sure the sidewalks of Pennsylvania Ave might have been cleared almost immediately, but what good does that do if your funneling everyone into a single-file line at the crosswalk? You can’t just shovel the sidewalk to a wall of snow at the street. You have to create safe crosswalks too.
That’s our list, who were your winners & losers?
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Comments
I would like to nominate the National Park Service as the worst of the worst. Almost all of their Reservations and Circles (Thomas Circle is the most egregious) are completely impassable. They have not been shoveled, salted and now are a thick sheet of ice. The number of NPS sidewalks uncleared in the downtown area make walking to work a complete hazard.
Second to them, DC government. Check out some of their property and you will find uncleared sidewalks (5th and Eye lot, DC building at 10th and Mass NW).
agree with the NPS and DC government comment – Franklin Square Park – the internal walkways through the part are all shovelled down to the dry pavement. The sidewalks on K, 13th, Eye and 14th – you know, where people actually walk – are all completely untouched and solid sheets of ice. Obviously the NPS and the DC government are odds over who is responsible for the sidewalks, but it definitely adds insult to injury that the NPS was able to get the internal park walkways cleared and gave the big middle finger to everyone else.
I third the nomination of the NPS. The National Mall sidewalks were disgraceful Monday night along 7th Street (haven’t been back since). In addition, while the sidewalks on 7th Street at are in pretty good shape, some of the crosswalks are still a mess.
I had to run to CVS (8th and E) on Sunday, and while the sidewalk in front of Weschler’s was a sheet of ice, the sidewalk in front of CVS was so clear it was almost dry. The effort put forth by McDonald’s (across from the FBI) was also pretty lame — they cleared enough so you could get in their door but not walk past it.
My living room window overlooks the FBI on E St, and we could see their personnel putting in a lot of time clearing steps that are chained off at the bottom and lead to a boarded-up set of doors. Not sure why they bothered!
The NPS parks at 5th and Eye as well as the crosswalks at 5th and Mass that are used by folks going to and from Safeway are now sheets of ice. I also watched folks today trying to pick their way gingerly by the 5th and Eye lot. All of these are the responsibility of NPS and DC government. Shameful.
NPS-they have had multiple street lights out on west side of 7th NW from Penn Ave to Indiana street for months now. I know someone who called a month ago and they have not fixed them to date. That area is rather dark—just north of there -maybe 100-200 ft- a Senator’s daughter got carjacked. Does someone know how to reach out to the NPS to get them on board with the community? Are they waiting for $$$ or Captital Plan approval or what?
They seem to do excellent work when they want to–the Police memorial (NPS jurisdiction I think) lights, landscaping and snow removal are always top notch.
The National Law Enforcement Officiers Memorial is a private organization, not part of the National Park Service. http://www.nleomf.org/
None the less engaging the NPS on keeping street lights on and snow removed (see above comments) might help improve the community especially lower Penn Qtr.
On the Memorial, I see NPS trucks there on my walk to work so they may have a role in the parks appearance, though its not clear from the site. Only a google cache page turns up:
“To help extend the Memorial experience and to remind all Americans of the monument and what it represents, we have produced a special commemorative gift collection bearing the Memorial name and logo.
Part of the purchase price for each item has been earmarked
to pay for new names to be added to the Memorial
to help the National Park Service maintain the monument
and to assist us with our other important safety, research
and educational programs.
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Most places were pretty good, but I have a few nominees for “the bad”: Harry’s/Hotel Harrington/Ollie’s Trolley (piles of snow next to the road and no access from sidewalk to crosswalk for peds), and the Washington Tourism Center (majorly icy patch right in front of it until Tuesday AM).