Comments from the D.C. Pedestrian Advisory Council on The District’s Response to the Winter Storm of January 2016 Submitted March 3, 2016

Pedestrian Advisory Council members recognize the tremendous effort that went into snow removal during the winter storm of January 2016 and the major difficulties posed by this significant snowfall, but PAC members were disappointed in several aspects of the response that harmed pedestrians. PAC members noted that sidewalks, curb ramps and crosswalks were very difficult to navigate in many locations even several days after the snow stopped falling, often forcing pedestrians to walk in the street even as car traffic had returned to normal. Below are the combined personal observations of PAC members. Many plow operators did not appear to follow District policy against piling snow in crosswalks and curb ramps or completely covering sidewalks with snow. As a result, pedestrians had to walk in the street in many areas and climb over large mounds of snow at intersections. People pushing strollers or trying to make deliveries were unable to access curb ramps. People who use wheelchairs or walkers or who are mobility impaired reported being stuck at home for a week in residential areas. In addition, plows dumped snow onto signal poles, including signal poles with beg buttons, making the beg buttons inaccessible. The District's dedicated effort to remove all snow and ice from the street, while leaving snow piles on crosswalks and curb ramps, increased dangers for people walking because it meant that people driving resumed "normal" driving speeds and unsafe practices (e.g. turning without slowing down), even while the street remained unsafe for other users. Clearing all traffic lanes should not be accomplished at the expense of walkable intersections and sidewalks. Many bus stops were obstructed by piles of snow. On an especially frustrating note, PAC member Eileen McCarthy observed that bus stops with shelters maintained by Clear Channel Outdoors along Wisconsin Avenue between the Cathedral and Upton Street were cleared, the sidewalks in front were also cleared, and a 2-3' wide path was cleared from the sidewalk through the snowbank left by the first plow pass. This was helpful and allowed people to get to the door of the bus. However, by the next day, when the plows came back through once again, the path was gone because the plows dumped snow back into the space that had been created. In future storms, shoveling bus stops should be a priority and may require repeat visits by responsible parties. The District undermined its own sidewalk clearing regulations. In the week before the storm, the District used social media blasts and bus shelter advertisements to remind residents of their responsibility to clear their sidewalks, and the new citations approved by the Council received attention in news reports. However, on the day before the storm, the Mayor indicated that the District was unlikely to issue tickets after all. According to DPW testimony offered at the hearing on Snowzilla on Feb. 18, only 14 citations were issued. Many property owners never shoveled their walks, leaving uneven paths days after people were required to return to work and school. This was particularly noticeable in front of large institutional buildings operated by

large non-profits or embassies where the problem was compounded because of the buildings’ sizable sidewalk footprints. These uncleared sidewalks were especially hazardous for seniors, children, and people with disabilities. Some businesses not only did not clear their sidewalks, but actually cleared their parking lots and then dumped the snow onto the sidewalks. Giving tickets to these property owners would have been memorable reminders to clear their sidewalks. Citations can be an effective form of education. In addition, following the city mandate with respect to snow clearing would be in line with Vision Zero and would be a step toward creating equity between pedestrians and motor vehicle users. Some sidewalks that were left unshoveled have no adjacent property owner and require some intervention by District government. The District appears to make a good effort to clear sidewalks on the bridges over the rivers. The importance of doing this was brought to light two winters ago when a man walking in the roadway because the sidewalk was inaccessible on the Sousa Bridge was struck and later died. Cataloging similarly neglected and dangerous locations and assigning an agency to clear them after each snowfall might help in the future. Places like underpasses, higher-speed arterials with no adjacent businesses, and small parks could be assigned to some entity in snowstorms, whether that entity is the local BID or a local business, DGS, NPS or DPW. District agencies executed a swift and coordinated response to the record-setting snowfall in January. They mobilized hundreds of pieces of snow-removal equipment and worked 12-hour shifts for nearly a week. Several PAC members reported being generally impressed with the District’s response and specifically impressed with the following elements of the District’s handling of the storm: • Timely plowing of arterial roads and most side streets; • Good communication about snow removal operations; • Improved snow removal (from previous years) around public buildings such as schools and recreation centers; • Helpful participation by Business Improvement Districts in clearing sidewalks; • Useful deployment of loaders and dump trucks to cart snow away. Even with District policies and regulations in place, it may be unrealistic to think that curb ramps would be cleared consistently when the District is working in crisis mode. However, PAC members believe that when the District gets hit with a big storm there needs to be a more conscious effort to ensure that snow piles at corners do not become small mountains, leaving vulnerable pedestrians without access to their jobs, stores and other services. Unfortunately, piling snow into crosswalks indicates the District still thinks pedestrian rights should be sacrificed to driver convenience. PAC members recommend enforcing rules about how plows and property owners clear snow in order to improve the level of equity between drivers and pedestrians in future storms.