Snow Stories

Release Date: Wednesday, February 24th 2010

A special detail of the Downtown SAMs braved the elements during the recent snowstorm and overcame transportation obstacles to report to work. Armed with shovels and ice breakers, this select crew of Downtown SAMs cleared handicap ramps, sidewalks, crosswalks, storm drains and bus shelters in Downtown where more than three feet of snow had accumulated.

“The Downtown BID always has offered and will continue to offer, supplementary services to those that the city and property owners provide,” said Richard H. Bradley, executive director of the Downtown BID. “In unusual conditions, when mounds of snow were too high to navigate safely, we focused on clearing pathways for pedestrians.”

The District Department of Transportation (DDOT) oversees removing snow and ice from public streets, while private property owners are responsible for clearing sidewalks adjacent to their buildings. The unique challenges of back-to-back, record-breaking snowfalls resulted in the Downtown BID assisting responsible parties by monitoring conditions, reporting hazardous conditions and removing snow at critical locations to ensure pedestrian safety.

Maintenance SAMs prioritized the restaurant and entertainment corridor near Gallery Place and the Verizon Center (601 F Street), where visitors and residents gathered in spite of the weather. SAMs and community service workers shoveling crosswalks and bus shelters were visible as fans streamed to the Capitols game, many of whom shouted their support to the laboring staff.  Zone Cleaner Timothy Hillie summed it up, “We’re just doing what we do—we’re Downtown SAMs!”

Of the Downtown BID’s 100 SAM employees, about four-dozen constitute the Maintenance team. A select number of these worked on snow removal. As the neighborhood returned to normalcy, SAMs continued working to ensure that storm drains were cleared to reduce the risk of flooding during the thaw. They also assessed damage to trees and parks, cleared solar parking meters and reported hazards to DDOT.

“This was a big deal. People have come to expect a certain experience in Downtown, and we worked very hard to provide safe access,” said Everett D. E. Scruggs, the Downtown BID’s director of operations. “Coordinating and sharing information with DDOT, the Department of Public Works (DPW) and property managers led to more efficient and effective operations.”