Arlington board declares local emergency as county crews battle exceptional winter storm

The Arlington County Board on Jan. 27 unanimously ratified a local emergency and authorized the county manager’s declaration as crews continued to respond to an exceptional winter storm.

Chair Matt DiFerenti moved that the board find the “catastrophic nature of the current declared emergency makes it impractical or unsafe to assemble a quorum” and that the meeting’s purpose is to ensure continuity of operations; the motion passed by roll call, 5-0. The board later consented to the county manager’s declaration and authorized the chair to sign the accompanying document.

County Manager Schwartz briefed the board on snow operations, saying crews were in “phase 3,” treating residential streets after clearing primary and secondary routes. He reported that as of the morning of Jan. 27, 99% of primary and secondary routes and 95% of roads to schools were passable, and that about 70% of neighborhoods were passable. He cautioned that “passable” can mean a single cleared lane, not bare pavement, and noted nightly refreezes complicate cleanup.

Schwartz described the scale of the response: more than 200 county employees on any given shift, 40‑plus contractors, about 120 pieces of equipment and the use of over 2,000 tons of salt to date. Where snow removal or storage is constrained, the county is hauling snow to temporary locations and opening selected parking and layover areas. He asked residents for patience while crews complete cleanup and encouraged reporting specific issues via the county’s snow‑issue form.

On services, the manager said residential curbside collection and brush pickup were canceled for Monday and Tuesday and would not be made up that week. Several ARC bus routes were suspended in part; the manager said reduced “severe level of service” bus routes were planned to resume the following morning on selected lines. County facilities and some services were set to open on a delayed schedule the next day.

Board members emphasized safety and support for vulnerable residents. DiFerenti highlighted outreach to the county’s unhoused population; Schwartz said outreach teams were distributing food, blankets and offering transport to shelters. Shelter operators’ reported occupancy figures included Path Forward serving 42 shelter clients and 14 individuals in hypothermia overflow, and the homeless services center housing 49 clients plus hypothermia overflow.

The board urged residents to stay home where possible so plows and emergency vehicles can operate, and to report urgent medical or special‑needs cases to the county manager’s constituent services or via the county website. DiFerenti closed the discussion by thanking county crews and public‑safety staff for their work during the prolonged event.