Posted on 01/21/2016 4:34:36 PM PST by Kaslin
For those living in the Washington, D.C-area, last night's commute home was a nightmare, as commuters in the District and the Northern Virginia area were stuck for hours on the roads. Last night's forecast only called for one inch of snow, but it wasn't the snow that caused the chaos - it was the icy conditions that arose due to the apparent lack of preparation from any municipal authority. It was something that D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser apologized for earlier today:
Yet, it still doesn't negate the fact that this is weak sauce. The area has been hit with bitterly cold days prior to last night's dusting, which meant that even an inch of snow was going to stick to the asphalt and create havoc. Virtually no roads were pretreated with salt. The District's Department of Transportation reportedly began treating the roads at 4 p.m. yesterday with beet juice:
Deployment for pretreating started at 4 pm per @DCDPW director.— DDOT DC (@DDOTDC) January 21, 2016
When it comes to deicing chemicals, the District has taken new steps to deice roads in both a more effective and environmentally friendly way. DDOT and the D.C. Department of Public Works have developed an organic deicing brine that mixes salt, water and beet juice, to replace the traditional application of straight rock salt.
The beet juice in the brine allows the mixture to adhere more effectively to the roads, and instead of being plowed away like salt or even traditional brine, the new brine will stick to the pavement for several days and continue melting snow and ice. This mixture "helps prevent ice and snow from bonding with the roadway and is less taxing on the city's environment, infrastructure, and budget than rock salt," according to DDOT.
Also, the biggest snowstorm in a century is heading towards the nation's capital, so this lackluster response is even more worrisome. How embarrassing is this ordeal? According to Waze, a navigation app, there were more than 1,000 fender benders reported. After hours of sitting in traffic without moving, many commuters simply abandoned their cars (via WaPo):
The detritus of the long commuting ordeal — scores of cars abandoned on and around the shoulders of highways — could complicate the drive to work for those unfortunate enough to have to make it.
It was Washington's familiar post-apocalypse look, minus the apocalypse, a bewildering sight to those accustomed to more frigid climes.
And the scene proved once again (though no proof was needed) that Washington, when taken by surprise, is woefully unprepared, not just for a blizzard but for any "snow event." It also showed how little it takes for the region to descend into a long night of traffic chaos: more than 1,000 reported fender-benders (unofficial numbers via Waze), six- and seven-hour trips home, jammed arteries and impassably frozen exit ramps.
Given what the Virginia State Police reported, that 1,000-car figure doesn't seem to be too far off.
#Virginia Troopers respond to 767 crashes & 392 calls for disabled vehicles Wednesday, majority in #NOVA. #winterstorm #DrivetoSaveLives— VA State Police (@VSPPIO) January 21, 2016
The only silver lining is that this light dusting hopefully shook some sense into the city. We're bracing for a blizzard that some say will be "one for the record books." A state of emergency will be declared tomorrow morning, and no parking tickets will be issued throughout the course of the emergency. For everyone in the eye of the storm, stay safe, warm, and be alert.
I will declare a snow emergency effective tomorrow morning at 9:30 am. Residents will need to move their cars from snow routes before then.— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) January 21, 2016
WOO HOO!!!! DC @MayorBowser said no one is getting parking tickets during snow emergency on Saturday. But still, obey the law.— Emily Miller (@EmilyMiller) January 21, 2016
what! Worst snowstorm ever! I guess that’s what happens when you have global warming.
How much the bet that the “organic deicing blend” won’t work? I know it doesn’t. My wife bought some to use on our walkways. I had to go buy a bag of salt.
How much the bet that the “organic deicing blend” won’t work? I know it doesn’t. My wife bought some to use on our walkways. I had to go buy a bag of salt.
WTF? I swear I’m only pushing the “post” button once.
Oh, snap. They’re about to get 28 inches in the next few days. Who says RATS don’t cause gridlock? Keep safe.
Affirmative Action has its consequences.
Seems to be the same sad story continually in the Progressive controlled major urban Agenda 21 compliant ghettos!
Well I see nothing changed since 1986. It was a horrible storm that year...actually one on top of the other. I was stupid enough to drive to Silver Spring MD hoping to get back to metro VA after work. It took 2 hours to get through the city to the 14th St bridge which even had abandoned buses on it. 395 in VA had drifts and road crews doing their best. I will never forget that night.
Imagine! The beltway drivers had to put down their Iphones for a second.
So the District of Criminals will be flash frozen a few days?
Is this like a Government Shutdown?? Goodie, goodie!
Another government fail.
Is that really a surprise? Nope. But, for a Dhimmicrat, it’s a resume enhancement.
Typical Democrat run city.
Maybe the beet juice will rot the asphalt instead of melt snow.
Idiots.
They thought it was going to be bikini wearing weather all year round. /s
Sounds like a good use for beet juice.
I hate beets.
Let’s see....
it’s a woman - Check.
it’s black - Check
it’s a democRAT - Check.
it’s a failure...I’m shocked!!!
With the above traits, you can go from Mayor Lovely Warren and Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake to Marilyn Mosby, to this nitwit.
Never....ever vote for a black, woman, democRAT. They are just not up for the task of public office.
Do you realize how environmentally damaging salt is. It runs through the DC streets into the gutters and then down the Patomac to the brackish Cheasapeake Bay and then out into the Atlantic Ocean. We are poisoning the dolphins with salt we are dumping some much toxic salt into the ocean.
Now, who’s wishing for a little globull warming?
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.