Residents Asked to Shovel Bus Stops, Sidewalks for Students

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ROCKVILLE, MD — An all-out assault on snow-packed bus stops and sidewalks is needed to safely get Montgomery County Public Schools students back in the classroom, officials said.

In a message on the school system website, Interim Superintendent Larry Bowers said, “There are many bus stops and sidewalks in our neighborhoods that remain difficult to traverse due to the amount of snow we received. Just as the county is encouraging residents to clear around fire hydrants to ensure firefighters have access to this resource, we encourage community members to help ensure students have access to their schools by clearing the bus stops and sidewalks in their communities.”

All Montgomery County Public Schools are closed to students Thursday as crews continue to open roads from the weekend snowstorm. All school and community activities in school buildings are canceled today, while administrative offices are open.

Day-care programs in school buildings will remain open as scheduled.

»SEE ALSO: Clear Your Sidewalks, It’s The Law: County

Montgomery County firefighters continue to dig out fire hydrants as they come across them, the department said on its blog. Some hydrants were buried in 5 feet or more of snow and ice.

“While the snow is melting at a good pace, there are still many hydrants buried due to plowing operations. If you are physically able to do so, please take a moment to find a fire hydrant nearest to you and clear it out for us. Thanks,” the department said.

Snow Removal Efforts

County leaders warned residents Wednesday that they must clear their snow of sidewalks or face tickets. Failing to shovel walks will put students at risk when they return to school, officials said.

As residents wait for snowplows, MC311, Montgomery County’s hotline for government information and service requests, has been swamped with calls. Operators for the system cannot tell residents an exact time they will see snowplows on their street.

To see the progress of snowplows in your area, go to the county’s snowplow tracker and create a service request if your road has not been plowed.

»Photo of fire hydrant cleared by Fire Station #25 courtesy of Montgomery County Fire and Rescue Services