Prepping for Winter Storms, Naming Arlington's Snow Plows

Published on December 05, 2024

An early winter chill isn’t the only blast of the season greeting Arlington this year. As the County makes its annual snow and ice response preparations, residents can now also be on a first-name basis with their snow plows.

The County’s fleet of 60 plow-salt trucks (45 County-owned, 15 contracted) will bear names submitted by the public through the recent “Name that Plow!” contest, which received more than 1,200 suggestions. The flaky sobriquets will be displayed on Arlington’s online Snow Activity Map, which is activated with snow accumulation of 2 inches or more.

The top three most-suggested names, as picked by Department of Environmental Services staff:

• Plowy McPlowface
• Mr. Plow
• Taylor Drift

A few other winners:

• Alex Snowvechkin
• CTRL-SALT-DEL
• Plow You Doin’?
• Saline Dion

The almost real-time snow activity map, with each plow named (complete list), will come alive when accumulation reaches the minimum safety level for equipment and road surfaces, 2 inches.  

Low temperatures across the metropolitan area are signaling the arrival of winter—and the potential for snow. The Department of Environmental Services’ (DES) Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau is ensuring that Arlington County is prepared for snowfall, which local meteorologists forecast will be between 4-10 inches for the region in 2024-2025 compared to the 8 inches that fell last year.

Water, Sewer and Streets Bureau staff conducted driver trainings and tested brining equipment in the fall to ensure our fleet of almost 50 trucks can clear roads, allowing vehicles to travel safely and maintaining essential County operations.

While you’re tracking the plows’ progress during a major snow event, here are other things to know about Arlington’s snow and ice response.

Before, During and After the Storm

Arlington snow operations involve multiple departments as well as external partners, making for a force of several hundred people working in shifts to maintain core services. A winter weather alert for snow, ice or freezing rain sets crews in motion according to an established set of pretreatment and removal phases.

The County is responsible for clearing:

• 1,059 miles of roads
• 350 bus shelters and bus stops
• 35 miles of sidewalks in shared public areas
• 21 bridges and overpasses
• 10 miles of trails (Department of Parks and Recreation)
• 7.4 miles of protected bike lanes.

Arlington is committed to a range of year-round transportation options and treats high-volume trails with the same priority and response time as primary arterial streets. Trail and lane conditions are reported frequently by BikeArlington on social media.

Staying off the roads is the best action for anyone without a crucial reason to venture out during and right after a snowstorm. It helps our crews be efficient in plowing operations and minimizes safety risks.

Stay connected through the County’s Snow and Ice page and DES’s social media platforms for updates on snow phases, transportation, trash collection and other important notifications. Follow @ArlingtonDES on X, Facebook or Bluesky. 

Sign Up for Arlington Alert to get free, real-time updates on weather conditions, road closures, emergencies, and much more.

How You Can Help

Arlington residents play a key role in recovery after a winter storm. The County’s Snow Removal Ordinance requires all property owners to clear snow and ice from public sidewalks adjacent to their property within 24 hours after the end of the storm for snowfalls of less than 6 inches, or 36 hours for those greater than 6 inches.

Here are other ways to help:

• Coordinate with neighbors to park cars on one side of the street, where feasible, or avoid on-street parking on narrow roads so plow operators can efficiently clear a wider span of roadway.
• Don’t park “head in” on cul-de-sacs, allowing plows more room to maneuver.
• Clear sidewalks, fire hydrants, storm drains and catch basins, tossing snow toward buildings and not the street. However, wait for plows to come before clearing snow from the front of driveways, to minimize the amount pushed back by plows.
• Stay home or use mass transit to reduce the number of potentially stranded vehicles.
• Apply only the recommended minimum of chemical deicers on sidewalks and driveways.

Winter Weather Preparation Tips