Comments on: Storm is over, but snow lingers in Silver Spring

By: nashpaul

nashpaul — Wed, 30 Dec 2009 03:18:35 +0000

More than a week after the storm ended, I was driving up Colesville Road north of the Beltway today and noticed that the sidewalk is completely impassable leading up to the Trader Joe’s. Didn’t get a specific address to report, but it’s really an embarrassment to the county how bad the sidewalks are, including several bus stops.

By: LuvMyHood

LuvMyHood — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 17:22:05 +0000

Good point, Chip. I just use ordinary sand.
The gravelly stuff I have encountered in previous years in DTSS seems like some kind of waste product, very sharp edges. It hurts if it gets into shoes, and is awful if blown into eyes. Sand is best. It does’t hurt like that other stuff, it doesn’t add chemicals to runoff, and it stays to add friction of if the area freezes over again.

By: Chip Py

Chip Py — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:52:08 +0000

Hey, think about our rivers, streams, bays and oceans and then use ice melt accordingly

By: LuvMyHood

LuvMyHood — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 15:10:06 +0000

Woodside Park Bob sez:”It seems unreasonable to expect property owners to fully clear the sidewalks when an iceberg has been pushed onto them. Digging out that compressed snow turned to ice is very difficult.” Well, WPB, it seems entirely reasonable to me. There are scads of unemployed and underemployed people around there, many of them able-bodied. Surely they could be organized into teams with picks and shovels, with an occasional snowblower. That is where some of the transportation money should be going, saved up and used for times like this. And some of “icebergs” could be hauled away and dumped into the Potomac. It’s just another case of failing to maintain what we have already built, use and depend upon NOW.

By: brh

brh — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 14:49:04 +0000

Kathy – Agreed about the corner of Wayne & Fenton, I was shocked at how awful that spot was! At first I thought, ‘oh, empty property, guess some bank is too lazy to send out people to maintain it…’ then I remembered what the lot was! Rather sickening, really.

The sidewalk just outside of Bullis Park is also untouched… Haven’t been to any of the other parks w/ sidewalks outside them, but that’s rather shameful as well… Not like Cedar St is heavy on traffic or anything, but it still sucks.

By: Margarete Levy (aka Mother Goose, aka Miss Maggie)

Margarete Levy (aka Mother Goose, aka Miss Maggie) — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:58:27 +0000

Weather like this, is another reminder that a pedestrian bridge (dry and covered) to the new Silver Spring Library, will provide safe passage for all, no matter what age or ability.

Editor’s note: Margarete Levy is associated with the Silver Spring library. — JD (Dec 23, 2009)

By: Kathy J

Kathy J — Wed, 23 Dec 2009 00:03:20 +0000

The complaint form is overheating from my usage of it – certain businesses and multi-family dwellings should be put in stocks and us SS peds be allowed to pelt them with ice-balls until they repent their evil ways.
You can be sure I have a LONG memory and will not frequent any businesses who do not care about my safe passage.
The worst offender of all though is the County itsekf -WHEN will they clear even a miniscule oath over Burlington Ave bridge? Or how about the “soon-to-be-new-SS library” corner at Wayne & Fenton?

By: IHateYuppies

IHateYuppies — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:22:57 +0000

Oh boy…walking on the slippery red sidewalk bricks should be fuuuuuun tonight when the temperature dips below the freezing point. I wonder how many people are going to wipe out on the brick sidewalk in front of FedEx Kinkos and the Einstein/Starbucks location.

Tip: Try to walk on concrete sidewalks since the you get slightly better traction with the black ice.

By: Woodside Park Bob

Woodside Park Bob — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 21:10:25 +0000

I’m all for cleared sidewalks, but we have to be reasonable about what is possible.

Part of the problem in clearing sidewalks is that the snow plows push a full street full of snow into piles along the side of the street, which is usually right on top of the sidewalk. It seems unreasonable to expect property owners to fully clear the sidewalks when an iceberg has been pushed onto them. Digging out that compressed snow turned to ice is very difficult. And then there is the problem of where to put it. If a building is adjacent to the sidewalk, about the only thing you can do is throw it back into the street!

By: Jennifer Deseo

Jennifer Deseo — Tue, 22 Dec 2009 20:48:16 +0000

One thing to beware of is “black ice”, even on the sidewalk. The sloped brick walk outside NOAA — which is a slippery mess even on rainy days — sucked to no end last night. It’s called rock salt, people.

Regarding the puddle next to the Texaco station, I’d report that to the county. The driveway surface won’t be fixed anytime soon, but perhaps the county can persuade Texaco to find another fix.