HomeMy Public PortalAbout2016_M010 Letter to VDot Requesting They Assume Snow Clearing Responsibility COUNCIL MEETING June 28, 2016
MOTION 2016-010
I move to authorize the Mayor to send a letter to the Virginia Department of Transportation
requesting they assume snow clearing responsibility for certain primary roadsw
within the
town limits.
1 i Page
Town of David S. Butler Council Member.)
p �- Mayor Thomas S. Dunn, 11 Suzanne D. Fox
VL.O Kelly Burk R. Bruce Gemmill Katie Sheldon Hammier
Virginia Vice Mayor Fernando"Marty'Martinez
25 West Market Street,Leesburg,VA 20176•703-771-2733•FAX 703-771-2727•council@leesburgva.gov•www.leesburgva.gov
June 29, 2016
Mr. Favid Bigdeli
Virginia Department of Transportation
Northern Virginia District
4975 Alliance Drive
Fairfax, Virginia 22030
Dear Mr. Bigdeli:
Following the historic snowfall accumulation during Winter Storm Jonas,the Town of Leesburg has
looked closely at its snow removal process and ways the Town may be able to shorten the time it takes .
to clear our primary roads and begin clearing efforts on our neighborhood and secondary roads. What
we have been experiencing over recent years,and was reinforced during this storm, is that during major
storms it takes all of the Town's in-house and contracted plowing resources to just keep the primary
roads passable while the snow is still falling. During Winter Storm Jonas,our limited Town staff was
unable to work on neighborhood streets until the snow was too deep for our conventional plows.
As you know, Leesburg is the crossroads of two major regional highways, Route 15 and Route 7, and
receives significant regional commuter traffic passing though the Town daily. Keeping these vital
regional roads open is a top priority, but it has become a responsibility that the Town is no longer able
to meet without having a significant negative impact on the response time for the Town to clear the
nearly 200 lane miles of collector and local streets within the Town's corporate limits.
Based on agreements made many years ago, the Town assumed maintenance responsibilities for
portions of the Route 7/15 Bypass and Route 7 inside the Bypass.The Town currently has full
maintenance responsibility for Route 15 within the Town limits. These sections are classified as primary
roads. •
The Town of Leesburg is requesting that the Virginia Department of Transportation take over only the
snow removal responsibility on the Town-maintained portions of the Bypass between Route 7 (East
Market Street)and the northern Town Limits and Route 15 between Virts Corner(Masons Lane)and the
Bypass. This action would give VDOT full control of snow clearing on the Bypass. Since the state already
clears more than half of the Bypass in Town and clears all of the state routes outside of the Town limits,
this modification should increase efficiencies by allowing VDOT to conduct clearing operations on the
full length of the Bypass without interruption. Having VDOT clear Route 15 from Virts Corner to the
Hometown of the 21" Century
Bypass would create an uninterrupted clearing route between where the state clearing responsibility
currently ends on Route 15 coming into Town and the Bypass.
The Town is not asking for any additional maintenance support for items such as road repair or traffic
signals. The Town would be willing to return or forgo a percentage of the state's annual maintenance
allocation, commensurate with the snow clearing costs, provided to the Town for these specific sections
of road.
We understand this request is unique; however, because of the regional nature of these two sections of
primary highway,we feel that VDOT is in the best position to assist the Town in clearing these roads of
snow and ice. The Town is still very willing to provide all other maintenance needs throughout the year.
Thank you for your consideration. We look forward to working with you to transition the snow
maintenance responsibilities for these sections of roadways back to VDOT control.
Sincerely,
pesim
David S. Butler
Mayor
Attachment: Map of snow plowing responsibilities
cc: Leesburg Town Council
Kaj Dentler,Town Manager
Renee LaFollette, Director of Public Works and Capital Projects
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