Snow may be far from the forecast, but the county and state are already preparing for unpredictable winter weather.
A number of local agencies gathered Tuesday afternoon to discuss emergency preparedness plans and school students’ snow dances.
“Our presenters today will also offer suggestions that will help our citizens respond to and recover from winter incidents,” Commissioners President Blaine Young said.
Frederick County Highway Operations
The Office of Highway Operations monitors almost 1,300 miles of county roads, all of which are considered snow emergency routes when Frederick County’s snow emergency plan is in effect.
In the event of a snowfall that exceeds 6 inches, the agency will focus on opening the county’s main roads first, followed by secondary roads, and then subdivision and gravel roads.
A list of 211 miles of priority roads separated into six districts ranks 84 county roads in order of importance, allowing drivers to create connectivity between state and local roads.
Highway Operations’ objective is to create two-lane passable areas on each road within 12 hours of the culmination of a storm. Drivers make two passes on each road, meaning they are responsible for about 2,540 miles.
City of Frederick
City streets are held to similar standards, Frederick Mayor Randy McClement said Tuesday, but adhere to different geographic priorities.
In downtown Frederick, city officials follow a timeline to remove snow. They allow 12 hours to remove up to 3 inches, 24 hours for 3 to 6 inches, 36 hours for snowfall of 6 to 9 inches, and “as soon as we can” if precipitation reaches more than 9 inches, McClement said.
“We are plowing snow on streets designed for horses and buggies,” he said of downtown Frederick.
Vehicles must be removed from all marked city emergency routes within two hours of the snow emergency plan declaration or be towed at the owner’s expense.
Sidewalks must be cleared within 12 hours of the end of snowfall, and McClement asked residents not to shovel the snow into the streets where it will be plowed back onto the walk, creating “a very vicious circle,” he said with a laugh.
All Frederick city snow emergency routes and snow removal maps can be found on the city’s website, www.cityoffrederick.com.
Frederick County Public Schools
Terry Alban, Frederick County Public Schools superintendent, explained the process of determining school closures during a snow event, saying officials do not take the decision lightly.
The primary consideration, Alban said, is the safety of the children and bus drivers, as well as instructional time that may be lost.
“We do not want to close haphazardly,” she said.
By 5 a.m. on any snowy day, the gears are already in motion to decide whether the school system’s more than 430 buses will navigate the county’s 644 square miles to pick up children. The decision could mean a one- or two-hour delayed opening, or closing school for the day.
A decision on early dismissal will be made by 10 a.m., Alban said.
Parents can watch for closure information at www.fcps.org, or find out via the school system’s FindOutFirst emails or Twitter account.
Alban reminded parents that they have the right to keep children home from school if there are safety concerns, and urged people to make backup child care plans for the winter.
Maryland State Highway Administration
As technology has advanced, so has the State Highway Administration’s snow removal process.
Within 24 to 48 hours before a predicted snowstorm, SHA crews will begin pre-treating the 1,100 miles of roads with its brine mixture.
Interstate highways take precedence over state routes, according to Jim Brown, SHA resident maintenance engineer.
The county’s and city’s efforts to clear streets helps the state connect plowed roads for emergency vehicle use.
