No Street Left Behind

A storm last February tested the District's snow-removal capabilities, but plows got through fine in Leesburg. (By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)
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"I don't think anybody in charge of picking up the snow should be worried about how much it costs during the snowstorm," Fenty said during a review of the city's snow-plowing efforts after a storm in early December. "That could be fatal."

Snow removal is often seen as a critical test for mayors, especially in Washington, where federal government operations are dependent on the city's efforts to clear snow. It's a tricky task, managing manpower and resources.

"It's the variability as much as anything," Campbell said. "You don't know what's going to come, you don't know when it's going to come, and that's why nobody is too good at handling it."

Failure to clear snow in an efficient and timely manner can be damning, and a mayor's presence during a storm can become a symbol of his leadership style.

Former D.C. mayor Marion Barry was rebuked for staying in California to see the Super Bowl and play tennis during a January 1987 snowstorm that crippled the city for more than a week. A 1979 blizzard that shut down Chicago contributed to the electoral downfall of Mayor Michael Bilandic, and New York Mayor John V. Lindsay's reputation was tarnished by failure to clear the snow-clogged streets of Queens in 1969.

As a D.C. Council member, Fenty earned a reputation for having a laser focus on delivering constituent services, including trash removal. But his snow-clearing efforts as mayor have left some residents dissatisfied.

Last February, six weeks into his first year as mayor, a storm dumped several inches of snow on the city. Some complained that parts of even major roads, such as Georgia Avenue NW, were left largely untouched by plows. So were many neighborhood streets.

A CapStat review showed that during the height of a snowstorm Dec. 5, many of the city's trucks remained in the garage. And even though Fenty has purchased more equipment, many streets weren't plowed for at least 12 hours after the last flake fell.

Fenty vowed that would not happen again.

"You just have to overdo it," he told snow program officials.