D.C. residents are being told to stay off the streets or risk facing hefty fines if their vehicles get stuck in the snow and hamper the city’s cleanup efforts following this weekend’s historic blizzard.
Metropolitan Police Chief Cathy L. Lanier told reporters Monday morning that law enforcement won’t look the other way if residents interfere with attempts to dig out D.C. streets and said that drivers who end up stuck in snow-covered roads risk being fined upwards of $750.
At least 106 cars were towed off of D.C. streets on Sunday alone, in some instances with the aid of cranes, The Washington Post’s Aaron Davis tweeted on Monday. Professional plow drivers have been putting in 12-hour shifts, meanwhile, prompting the city to seek help from area bus drivers and government workers with commercial driver’s licenses in hopes of clearing off streets as quickly as possible.
Washingtonians shouldn’t necessarily swap their Buicks for their boots, however. During Monday morning’s press conference, the police chief added that pedestrians risk causing problems for the city’s snow-removal efforts and urged residents to stay indoors altogether.
“We’re going to have to start stepping up and being a little more aggressive about asking our public not to be out, walking in the streets,” Chief Lanier said. “I know it is difficult to walk on the side because it is not clear either, but walking down the middle of the street is really not safe and it hampers out ability to clean the streets. Two. Vehicles, you really need to just stay home.”
The police chief’s remarks were made a day after D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser warned residents that the city would respond seriously to anyone whose actions interfere with the clean-up efforts.
“We need you to not only keep your vehicles off the streets, we need you to keep yourselves off the streets as well,” the mayor said during a Sunday news conference. “For anybody who impedes our ability to get plows down the street: if you come out, you get your self stuck on one of our street, I have to tell you — we will aggressively ticket you and tow your vehicle so it will not continue to impede our snow operation.”
“For the next 48 to 72 hours, we need you to be patient with us,” Prince George’s County Executive Rushern L. Baker also said on Sunday. “I know people want to get out of your houses and move around, but we need you to stay at home as much as possible,” Mr. Baker said.
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