Mayor Randy McClement calls for the Snow Emergency Plan to go into effect for The City of Frederick at 4:00 PM today, Friday, January 22, 2016.
NEWS ALERT
SNOW EMERGENCY PLAN WILL GO INTO EFFECT AT 4:00 PM FOR THE CITY OF FREDERICK
City Prepares for Historic Snow Event
UPDATE - Frederick, MD – January 22, 2016: Mayor Randy McClement calls for the Snow Emergency Plan to go into effect for The City of Frederick at 4:00 PM today, Friday, January 22, 2016. During a Snow Emergency, City residents are not permitted to park on designated Snow Emergency Routes. When a Snow Emergency Plan goes into effect, City residents will have 2 hours to move their cars from all designated Snow Emergency Routes. Vehicles not moved off of designated Snow Emergency Routes by 6:00 PM today risk the chance of being towed at the owner’s expense.
As a reminder, free parking is available in all five City parking garages beginning at 6:00 PM, Friday, January 22nd. As of now, the parking garages will remain open for free parking until 6:00 AM, Monday, January 25th.
City of Frederick Parking Decks are located at:
• Church Street Parking Deck- 17 East Church Street
• Court Street Parking Deck - 2 South Court Street
• Carroll Street Parking Deck - 44 East Patrick Street
• West Patrick Street Deck - 138 West Patrick Street
• East All Saints Street Deck - 125 East All Saints Street
Media Release - Frederick, MD – January 21, 2016 With the current prediction of 18’-24” of snow and possible wind gust up to 60MPH creating blizzard and whiteout conditions, Mayor Randy McClement highly encourages citizens to prepare now for the upcoming weather event and to stay home once the snow begins to fall.
For your safety and convenience, a list of important information including emergency phone numbers and important websites has been compiled below.
• SNOW EMERGENCY: When a Snow Emergency Plan goes into effect, City residents will have 2 hours to move their cars from all designated Snow Emergency Routes. Any vehicles parked on designated Snow Emergency Routes may be towed at the owner’s expense. Vehicles traveling on Snow Emergency Routes will also be required to use snow tires or chains. Residents who reside on Snow Emergency Routes are asked to plan ahead and park elsewhere. (see routes listed below) We are mandated to keep all snow emergency routes open at all times. This means that our crews will concentrate on these routes first. Once they have an accessible lane on all Snow Emergency Routes, the crew will move to all feeder (secondary) streets. These are your neighborhood streets. Once the secondary streets have been cleared, the crews will move to the alleyways and single access streets.
• PARKING GARAGES: It is NOT standard practice to open parking garages for free during snow events, but the City will do so based on extreme storm events. However, based on the storm’s potential of 18”-24” of snow The City of Frederick will open all City parking garages for FREE parking at 6:00pm on Friday evening, January 22nd. As of now, they will stay open for free until 6:00am Monday morning, January 25th. Based on the most up to date weather information, this is the best way to help get vehicles off the narrow streets in our downtown area. If this storm should not happen, it will give you the opportunity to come downtown and visit the shops and restaurants and park for free!
PLEASE NOTE… City of Frederick Parking Decks are located at:
? Church Street Parking Deck- 17 East Church Street
? Court Street Parking Deck - 2 South Court Street
? Carroll Street Parking Deck - 44 East Patrick Street
? West Patrick Street Deck - 138 West Patrick Street
? East All Saints Street Deck - 125 East All Saints Street
• RESTRICTED PARKING: Please remember that all restricted parking areas stay in effect during snow emergency events. If you see a sign noting a certain side of the street as a No Parking area on certain days/evenings, those areas will be enforced during all snow events. By not parking in these areas, it allows our snow crews to clear snow from these spaces so you can have open parking spots as soon as possible.
• DRIVEWAYS: Be advised, with the amount and type of snow predicted, driveways WILL be plowed in. We ask that you move ALL your vehicles into your driveway to allow our plows the opportunity to clear as close to the curb as possible. PLEASE NOTE that vehicles that remain on the street WILL have large amounts of snow piled around them. Snow plows will come through each street multiple times; it is advised that residents wait until the snowfall ends, before clearing driveway openings and curb cuts.
• HIGH WIND CONDITIONS: Be aware and alert for possible downed trees and power lines due to the heavy snow. Report downed and low hanging power lines or fallen trees to our DPW Operations switchboard by calling 301-600-1440. Do not attempt to cross over or under downed lines.
• SIDEWALKS: City Code requires all sidewalks to be cleared 12 hours after the snow stops falling. Please note, if you do not clear your sidewalks, the City has the right to either fine you or have your sidewalk cleared and charge you for that service.
• SHOVELING/PLOWING SNOW INTO STREETS: Snow or ice may not be deposited onto any public street or sidewalk. You could be fined if found doing this.
• EMERGENCY PHONE NUMBERS: If you should have any questions about snow removal on your street, please call our DPW Operations switchboard at 301-600-1440.
? Power outage concerns, call Potomac Edison at 1-800-686-0011.
? For road conditions, call 800-327-3125 or go to www.marylandroads.com
? All life threatening concerns, please dial 911.
• OTHER SOURCES OF INFORMATION:
? Local radio stations AM: 930 WFMD, FM: WFRE 99.9, Key 103.1 & 106.9 The Eagle
? City Television Cable Channel 99 & WHAG Channel 25
? Local newspaper www.fredericknewspost.com
? The City of Frederick website www.cityoffrederick.com
? Subscribe to "Alert Frederick County" to receive severe weather information at www.frederickcountymd.gov/alerts
? City Emergency Public Information Phone Line: 301-600-1300
SNOW EMERGENCY ROUTES
Street Start End
NORTH/SOUTH STREETS
1. Market Street route 70 Bridge Route 26
2. Bentz St/ Motter Avenue/
Opossumtown Pike West South Street North City Limits
3. East Street Monocacy Blvd (Walser Drive) North Market Street
4. Baughman’s Lane US Route 40 Rosemont Avenue
5. South Jefferson Street Prospect Boulevard West Patrick Street
6. Monocacy Boulevard East South Street East Patrick Street
7. S. Market Loats Alley
8. Monocacy Boulevard Gas House Pike MD Route 15
9. Gas House Pike/ Monocacy Blvd. East St.
Church Street
10. Mill Island Prkwy Waterside Drive Monocacy Ford Road
EAST/WEST STREETS
11. Patrick Street NB/ Ramp US Route 15 Bailes Lane
12. South Street / West Patrick Street City Limits
Reich’s Ford Road
13. Yellow Springs Road/ City Limits N. Bentz Street
Rosemont Avenue/
Dill Avenue
14. Seventh Street Military Road East Street
15. Butterfly Lane Mt. Phillip Road Route 180
16. Military Rd. West 7th St. Rosemont Ave.
17. Waterside Drive Monocacy Blvd. City Limits
The City of Frederick highly encourages citizens to prepare now and stay off the roads once the snow begins. If you must travel in bad weather, drive slowly and let someone know your route and anticipated arrival time. If you are stopped or stalled, stay in your vehicle and run your heater for a few minutes every hour to keep warm. Make sure the exhaust pipe is not blocked and keep your window cracked open.
Questions can be directed to Susan Harding, Public Information Coordinator at 301-600-1385 or susan@cityoffrederick.com.
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