Officials in Prince George’s County, Maryland, vowed to do a better job clearing roads after a snowstorm.
The County Council held a public hearing Tuesday looking into why so many neighborhoods went unplowed for days after a winter storm earlier this month. Many neighborhoods were impassible due to icy conditions after the storm.
Cynthia McArthur-Parker said she was stuck in her Fort Washington home unable to drive anywhere for 10 days.
“I’m a widow. I’m 70 years old. I shouldn’t have to go through that in order to make sure I can get out,” she said.
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Officials with the Department of Public Works and Transportation listened to residents’ concerns and answered questions from the County Council about what went wrong. They said the duration of the storm meant it took them much longer to be able to treat main roads, which meant more ice was caked on by the time crews made it to residential streets. Since the temperatures were so low, the type of salt that was used on the roads wasn't as effective. DPWT said it purchased a different kind of salt mixture that works better for colder conditions. But ultimately, they said their biggest challenge is getting more equipment.
“The need for larger trucks to service those main roads that then free us up to sort of concurrently work in the residential areas,” DPWT Director Michael Johnson said.
Many voiced concerns that their complaints to 311 were never answered or they were told they would get a response several days later.
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“We just want the service to be done,” McArthur-Parker said. “I’m not asking you for a favor. I’m asking you for something that you promised me you would do when we paid our taxes.”
Residents said they hope DPWT can improve its communication with the public.
“So we can understand what the delay is and we can kind of have an understanding of what’s going on, because it just gets frustrating, confusing to just be waiting in your home,” Kettering resident Frederica Bailey said.
DPWT said it also had a major issue with its snowplow tracker, which would show that a neighborhood had been plowed when in fact that wasn't the case. Officials said they fixed that problem and were able to test it out during the snowfall on Sunday.
