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School Closings

Discussion in 'Broadlands Community Issues' started by DAD4, Feb 14, 2007.

  1. crimewatcher703

    crimewatcher703 New Member

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    yeah, i agree.
    it makes it very difficult to do small work, like walking the dog even.
    let alone little kids walking to school.
    i mean, homeowners can't clean up all these trails.
    something needs to be done, with all our tax money.
     
  2. DAD4

    DAD4 New Member

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    Unfortunatley it would take a pick and a stick of dynamite to get this stuff off the sidewalks. Does anyone have any suggestions how to clear the ice off the sidewalks? I tried, and will try again on Saturday, since it will be above freezing.
     
  3. beahmer

    beahmer Member

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    Dont worry that "lost" money will be made up in your real estate tax bill in a few weeks :)
     
  4. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    Yes, it takes work to clear your sidewalk, but it is the homeowner's responsibility and you are opening yourself up to liability issues if it isn't done.
    This storm was particularly bad. Since I have plastic snow shovels, I had to first break it up with an spade, then I scraped along the pavement with a metal yard shovel, then I was able to shovel it off with the snow shovel.
    See page 11 of the last three newsletters to read the requirements for sidewalk snow removal. It is also on page 7, covenants corner, of the Feb Newsletter.
    It seems a lot of us are complaining (rightly so) about VDOT. How many of you that have complained have not shoveled your sidewalks?????? Hopefully none of us here on the Forums!
     
  5. tyger31

    tyger31 Member

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    I agree - this stuff was tough to shovel, but the key was getting out on Wed., first thing to get it up. I shoveled my whole driveway and sidewalk. It wasn't easy and I had big metal snow shovel too. I chopped it first with a spade, then shoveled. Most everyone was home on Wed. and that's when it should have been done. It took me most of the morning, but I'm sure glad I did when I did.
     
  6. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    Dug mine out Wednesday before the big freeze turned it into concrete. If you waited after that, then I'd try to at least get the top layer off today while there is sun and let that soften up the underside. Throw some salt on it and work on it this weekend. I am watching neighbors who didn't get to it on Wednesday make verrrrryyyy slow progress today! Good luck!
     
  7. sharse

    sharse TeamDonzi rocks!!

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    That would be me. :(
     
  8. T8erman

    T8erman Well-Known Member

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    And me! I am typically very fastidious when shoveling my driveway and sidewalk, but I got stuck at work for over 20 hours!
    It was a combination of work and the snow/ice (I was the only one in our office who made it in).

    The wife did get the sidewalk cleared and a "hole" in the apron for getting cars in and out. Today, I shovel... make that chipped away for 3 hours and still did not finish clearing our driveway (it is on the larger side)
     
  9. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    Living in Green Bay was easy compared to this! Nice, fluffy snow all the time :)

    This is honestly the hardest crap I have ever had to shovel off--just thankful that I work from home so I don't have to worry about commuting and can clear the sidewalk during the day. Plus I intentionally parked my SUV in the driveway the night before to eliminate the extra shoveling. You get cagey and lazy with older age :)

    It's going down to 11 degrees tonight, so I assume what melted today will harden back up. Interested to see if the 39 degrees tomorrow will make a dent in it...or will we have to wait til 50+?!

    Finally was able to take the pup for a long walk today on the trails, but still slipped all over the place. At one point, I just let the dog drag me down an icy hill. Was kind of fun. At least it feels like winter finally!
     
  10. mcharles

    mcharles New Member

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    Who sells rock salt? Home Depot is still out of stock as of Sunday.........
     
  11. Silence Dogood99

    Silence Dogood99 New Member

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    Try Lowe's in Sterling.
     
  12. Robert DuPree

    Robert DuPree New Member

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    Folks:

    This past week, we had what some called the worst ice storm the region had seen since 1999. And it was compounded by the extreme cold that followed which made the sleet/ice as tough as concrete to break up once it froze solid. (We all know this -- my own back tells me I’d have rather shovel two feet of snow than chip away at four inches of “concrete ice.”) VDOT and most homeowners generally do a better job of clearing roads and sidewalks than what happened last week, but once everything froze it was too late. Unless VDOT, private contractors and homeowners got their streets, sidewalks and bus stops cleared early on Wednesday, it became virtually impossible to break it up. Even by Friday, we continued to have significant numbers of suburban streets and sidewalks here in Ashburn and elsewhere that were caked with ice, very little sidewalk clearing except in front of homes, and lack of safe places for students who ride buses to wait for those buses. Between walking problems and potential bus problems on many icy roads (not just in the west – some here in Ashburn were still coated with ice this weekend), the Superintendent decided that it was best for the safety of our students that we not have school on Thursday or Friday. Fairfax County did the same for the same reasons.

    What can we do in the future (besides hope for snow instead of ice :) )? There is the obvious – clear our own sidewalks ASAP after it snows and band together as neighbors to make sure the bus stops are clear so that children can safely stand on the sidewalk, not in the street, to wait for the bus. Also, the School Board has asked the General Assembly to require making VDOT responsible for somehow marking suburban street corners where we have school bus stops (possibly with something on the street signs where possible?) so that snowplow operators do not pile snow up where the kids are supposed to be standing to wait for the bus. It does us no good for you and I to clear our sidewalks and the bus stops and then subsequently have the bus stops blocked by VDOT’s snow removal efforts. While the bill didn’t go anywhere this year, we plan to keep asking for this from the General Assembly.

    Robert

    Robert DuPree
    Chairman & Dulles District Representative
    Loudoun County School Board


    * As my disclaimer, unlike some posters, I am not from New York or New Hampshire originally – I grew up in Florida. But having been in Virginia for thirty years (seventeen in Ashburn) I learned quickly to shovel my driveway and sidewalk before the snow is packed down and/or melts and then re-freezes – it makes a world of difference.
     
  13. vacliff

    vacliff "You shouldn't say that."

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    It's a nice idea, but I think it would be easier to achieve world peace than getting VDOT to keep snow away from bus stops!!
     
  14. Robert DuPree

    Robert DuPree New Member

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    Cliff:

    I agree, but like Elvis used to sing, "If I could dream....."

    Robert

    Robert DuPree
    Chairman & Dulles District Representative
    Loudoun County School Board


    *yes, I remember Elvis
     

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