Rockville Under Snow Emergency, New Closures

ROCKVILLE, MD – With Rockville already under a snow emergency and a blanket of 13 inches of snow, city officials are canceling more services.

On Saturday, Jan. 23, and Sunday, Jan. 24, all city facilities will be closed and all programs, classes and activities are canceled. For updates on program cancellations or delays visit the city’s website at www.rockvillemd.gov/weather_closings.

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The snow emergency declaration is in preparation for a storm that is expected to bring significant snowfall to the Washington metropolitan region through the weekend. Residents are urged to stay off the roads once the storm begins.

In order for city crews to safely and efficiently clear snow from streets, all vehicles should be parked in garages and driveways whenever possible. If not possible, cars should be parked on the even-numbered side of the street. In courts or cul-de-sacs, parking is allowed only on the left side of the streets as one enters the cul-de-sac or court. Do not park in the bulb of the court or cul-de-sac.

To help get as many cars off the street as possible, four city-owned parking lots are open for residents to park their cars at the following locations:

• Rockville Civic Center main mansion lot, 603 Edmonston Drive.
• Woodley Gardens Park, 900 Nelson St.
• Welsh Park (Mannakee Street side only), at the corner of Martins Lane and Mannakee Street.
• Elwood Smith Community Center, 601 Harrington Road.

Cars illegally parked may be towed and/or ticketed.

Who To Call For Help, Power Outages And More

Residents also are encouraged to check on older neighbors who may not be able to clear snow and may need some help. Rockville seniors in need of snow removal assistance may request help by calling 240-314-8819 or 240-314-8810.

For answers to frequently asked questions about snow removal, visit www.rockvillemd.gov/winterweather and click on “FAQs.” Learn how the city handles winter weather in this Rockville 11 video: https://youtu.be/hAOj4LZm5EE.

To report a power outage, call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662 or visit www.pepco.com. To report a tree blocking a roadway or driveway, call 240-314-8700. For a tree touching a power line, call Pepco at 1-877-737-2662. Be sure to stay clear of downed lines and trees touching power lines.

For emergencies, call 911. To report non-emergency concerns to the Rockville City Police Department, call 240-314-8900. Rockville will post city facility closure information on the city’s website, www.rockvillemd.gov, as well as at www.rockvillemd.gov/weather.

Updates on Rockville’s storm response, city programs and facilities and other information will also be available on Rockville 11 (channel 11 on county cable systems) and on the city’s Facebook page (City of Rockville, City Hall) and Twitter account (@Rockville411). To receive updates on mobile devices or via email, sign up for Alert Rockville atwww.rockvillemd.gov/connections.

Snow Removal Requirements

The Department of Public Works is urging patience and preparation on the part of residents. Heavy snowfall may require crews to make multiple passes to ensure roads are passable. Depending on snowfall amounts, it may take days to clear all city streets.

Rockville requires that snow be removed from sidewalks, steps, driveways, parking spaces and similar paved area for public use within 48 hours after a snowfall of three to 10 inches, and within 72 hours after a snowfall of more than 10 inches.

Residents are asked to remove snow from around fire hydrants so that fire crews will have easier access to the hydrants in an emergency. Ice and snow should also be cleared from around storm drains, and the city asks residents to avoid shoveling snow into the street when possible.