Clearing Snow on Sidewalks, Trails and Bike Lanes

In Arlington, the adjacent property owner is responsible for clearing the sidewalk in front of their property. Find more information on the Snow Removal Ordinance page.

In some locations, such as along state-owned roads, the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is the adjacent property owner. However, while VDOT clears streets, it does not clear sidewalks within the County. View VDOT’s snow map here.

The County clears sidewalks surrounding County-owned facilities, including:

• Parks
• Schools
• Libraries
• Community centers
• Transit stops
• Operational buildings

The County does not have the resources to clear sidewalks where responsibility is unclear, areas without an active adjacent property owner, or where maintenance belongs to VDOT or other non-County entities.

Simply put, there are too many miles of sidewalks for any single agency to maintain.

Arlington has:

• 630+ miles of sidewalks along County rights-of-way
• 60+ miles of sidewalks along VDOT rights-of-way
• Additional sidewalks along federal and other property lines

In total, this adds up to approximately 700 miles of sidewalk across the County.

County crews from Parks, Facilities, Transit, Schools, and Water, Sewer, Streets are already responsible for clearing 33 acres of sidewalks and pathways, primarily around public buildings and facilities. This represents less than 2% of all sidewalks in Arlington.

During severe winter weather, operating large snow plows can be especially challenging. Given the scale of the sidewalk network, especially during events with extended freezing temperatures, it is not feasible for the County to clear all sidewalks in a timely and cost-effective manner. Plow drivers do their best to avoid pushing snow into crosswalks, curb ramps, medians, bike lanes, and other sensitive areas; however, safety and operational limitations can restrict what can be done. Support from residents and businesses in helping to clear snow from these locations is welcome and greatly appreciated.

While the main focus for snow clearing is keeping roadways passable for emergency vehicles and public transportation, facility operations across departments prioritize snow clearing locations based on community needs.

Before a snow event, staff tries to limit impacts as much as possible by pretreating County-maintained property and surrounding sidewalks. Once a storm starts, staff begin removing snow at Priority One locations – parking lots, trails, and some sidewalks. These sites are visited several times during and after a storm to ensure snow removal.

Staff continues to address the priority list in tiers, with the goal of reaching identified locations within a few days of the event. With the amount of snow and continued freezing temperatures, removal of snow from sidewalks is no easy task and staff continue to work to safely get the sidewalks cleared, if feasible, given resource limitations.

You play a critical role in keeping Arlington safe and walkable. By clearing the sidewalk in front of your home or business promptly after a snowfall, you help to:

• Prevent ice from forming and lingering
• Keep routes safe for pedestrians
• Maintain access to bus stops, crosswalks, and community spaces

In Arlington and across the region, we are always watching our winter salt use – here’s how you can too.

Pro-tip: Shovel early and often to avoid build-up.

Thank you for your partnership in helping keep Arlington’s sidewalks safe, accessible, and welcoming for everyone.