Mayor: Sidewalks remain top complaint as cold slows snow melt
City sending inspectors to issue warnings on private sidewalks
Nearly two weeks after the worst ice storm in 30 years, Alexandria’s snow response continues with crews hauling snow, clearing intersections and responding to 311 requests, Mayor Alyia Gaskins said Friday.
All city facilities and Alexandria City Public Schools are operating on normal schedules. But overnight temperatures dropped significantly, slowing the melt.
“Our focus continues to be on hauling out snow and clearing intersections as well as getting through 311s,” Gaskins said. “The number one 311 that we have received is snow-covered sidewalks.”
Many of those sidewalks are privately owned. The city has been sending inspectors to issue warnings.
Gaskins addressed complaints about overnight work noise.
“I apologize for any inconvenience or quality of life impacts,” she said. “But we have to do a lot of work at night because that’s when the roads have the fewest amount of cars and that’s also when there are the fewest amount of people on our sidewalks.”
Looking ahead
Sunday marks two weeks since the Jan. 25 storm dumped more than 7 inches of snow before turning to hours of freezing rain and sleet that encased the city in ice. Since then, crews have hauled more than 5,000 truckloads of snow, worked through more than 2,000 intersections and cleared 100% of high-traffic trails.
Students were out of school buildings from Jan. 23 through Feb. 2, including five storm-related virtual days. Schools reopened Tuesday with two-hour delays before returning to normal schedules Thursday.
Gaskins said she took a break from snow operations Friday to testify on immigration-related bills in the General Assembly, brought forward by Del. Alfonso Lopez of Alexandria. The bills aim to ensure residents can access health care, schools, higher education and courthouses without fear of harassment or intimidation.
“In Alexandria, one in four of our residents is foreign born and together our community speaks over 120 languages,” Gaskins said. “Making sure that people are able to engage with their government in a way that builds trust is critical for community safety and well-being.”
Gaskins said she was headed to Alexandria City High School to speak with students about Black History Month.
“I hope that everyone has a great Friday,” she said. “I’ll be back in touch tomorrow.”
Editor’s note: Mayor Gaskins posts daily video updates on social media. The Alexandria Brief tracked those updates during the storm response. This is our last daily recap unless significant news warrants continued coverage.