The D.C. region is still recovering from January’s winter storm that dropped 7 inches of snow.
Officials from D.C., Virginia and Maryland met Wednesday to analyze their storm response at the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments Board of Directors’ monthly meeting.
“The impact of this storm is a reminder for all of us on just how vulnerable we are to major weather events,” said Reuben Collins, COG board chair and president of the Board of County Commissioners for Charles County. “We’re still experiencing the effects of the storm.”
The group discussed the lessons they learned and how to better prepare for future weather events.
D.C. City Administrator Kevin Donahue said the city needs a quicker way to remove the snow and ice, which is still piled up on sidewalks and at intersections.
“This storm, in particular, given the level of ice and the cold temperatures, has reinforced the need to have a snow-hauling operation to follow quickly the plowing,” he said. “The snow has to go somewhere.”
The city is currently using the former RFK Stadium site as a temporary snow dump.
Montgomery County Chief Administrative Officer Rich Madaleno cited technology issues, including a county app that showed roads were clear when they actually were not, creating confusion for residents about the road conditions.
“All it’s telling you is what road the plow has driven on, not whether f it’s treated,” he said. “If we had a piece of equipment that was struggling because of the snow (or) the ice … it wasn’t recording that. It was just recording the fact that it drove down the street.”
He suggested the region adopt uniform parking rules for snow emergencies — for example, park on the even side of the street during even-numbered days — to make it easier for plows to work.
Officials acknowledged that residents need better communication from them.
Alexandria Mayor Alyia Gaskins posted daily videos in which she answered questions from residents and said these short videos were a great way to convey information.
“Here are the roads around you that we’ve gotten to. Here’s what happened when we tried to get to your road. Here’s why we’re stuck,” she said. “It’s taking a lot more time, but I do think that’s the communication we probably have to go to in the future.”
Moving forward, the leaders agreed to discuss creating a regional plan to clear bus stops and ensure they’re accessible to riders.
“We just need to get the leaders together to have the conversation, quite frankly, sooner rather than later, before the next storm,” Metro Chief Operations Officer Leroy Jones said.
Officials are also considering teaming up to hire and coordinate contractors.
Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.
© 2026 WTOP. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.
