Snow day photos: Digging out, playground sledding, and helpful neighbors

by Marlene Berlin

After snowstorms, I’m always eager to get out there to see how our streets, sidewalks, and businesses are faring. But this time, I had to cool my jets a little.

The weekend storm could have been a triple threat: heavy snow, sleet, and freezing rain. Luckily for us, the freezing rain did not show, so we escaped the predicted power outages. But challenges remained.

My first hurdle was getting out of my house. Every outside door was blocked by frozen piles of snow and sleet.

I called on my wonderful neighbors for help. Terra and her daughter came over to unblock a side door and shovel a path down my driveway to the street.

They also wanted to help me down the steep driveway. They did not realize that I wear mini crampons over my boots, so I was not going to slip.

Now, my trek could begin.

The sidewalks had not been attacked yet, but the pavement on my street – 30th Street – was passable for drivers and walkers.

The conditions were similar on other side streets as I made my way to Forest Hills Park.

There, families had gathered to do some sledding.

Some were enjoying the play equipment.

I moved on to Connecticut Avenue, which was mostly cleared for drivers. Pedestrians, on the other hand, had to scramble over or through piles of snow at intersections. The obstacles sometimes forced walkers onto the street.

Cleared for cars…

…less than ideal for pedestrians.

Heading north, I found John Connor, the owner of BP Amoco at Fessenden and Connecticut, using his truck to clear the sidewalk on the east side of the street.

The owner of these properties, Henry Gill of HA Gill and Son, was paying for this privilege,

I went into Politics and Prose and asked how workers had made it there. They took the Metro, or walked all the way. At CVS, the pharmacist and his assistant were ferried in by Uber drivers with four-wheel drive vehicles. CVS picked up the tab.

Heading back south on Connecticut, I found workers clearing the sidewalk between Davenport to Chesapeake Streets on the east side.

At Bread Furst, the workers who did not live within walking distance were put up at Days Inn. Their commute would have included an unshoveled sidewalk outside the former Burger King.

MOM’s Organic Market was also open, though it had not gotten its deliveries. Outside, workers were clearing the sidewalk.

UDC owns the MOM’s building and 4250 Connecticut across Windom Place. And its snow-removal crew won the day by also clearing piles of snow from the Windom crossing.

That intersection was the only one without large mounds of snow to traverse.

The snow piles made it difficult to cross Connecticut Avenue, and blocked access to the bus shelter by the Giant.

The weather forecast includes several days of below-freezing temperatures, so home and property owners can’t expect the excess snow to melt away anytime soon. Seniors and those with disabilities can request sidewalk clearing help from the DC volunteer snow team by calling 311 or 202-727-7925.

We can also help our neighbors. And shoveling sidewalks is not the only way.

The neighbors who got us shoveled out have a broken hot water heater. They will be using our shower. And after all the time they spent digging us out, they more than deserve it.