Snow Alerts & Updates

As a reminder, public roads are maintained by the Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT).

Cascades Community Association (CCA) is responsible for the clearing of snow from private streets, sidewalks, and trails. Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) is responsible for all VDOT owned streets. Please note in the event of snow / freezing rain / ice the management staff may not be able to make it into the office. This page will provide the most up-to-date information regarding snow plowing.

CCA Managed Streets 

Snow Operations commence after two inches of snow has accumulated on paved surfaces, or at the discretion of the Association. Depending on the forecasted storm, a salt brine will be placed on all CCA streets prior to the beginning of the storm. The contractor will use salt to place on the roadway and parking areas after the snow has been plowed. Please allow 10 hours for every 6" of snow accumulation for the roads to be adequately cleared.

Main roadways will be given first priority, followed by private streets, parking and sidewalk areas. The contractor will attempt to plow roadways curb-to-curb or as close to the curb as the roadway allows - at least two full lanes of traffic should be able to pass at the completion of service. Residents that typically park their vehicles curbside in the townhome areas are encouraged to make every attempt to park in a garage, driveway, or parking space to allow for curb-to-curb snow removal.

Pre-Treating Roads

Our contractors will pre-treat roads with salt depending on the amount and type of forecasted weather. For most inclement weather scenarios, salt is generally applied at night after plowing / as the roads are cleared.

Laying salt can be damaging to the environment and the roads, so our contractors do their best to apply the solution in moderation.

Snow Accumulation in Front of Driveways

Please note that the contractor is not responsible for removing snow from in front of driveways or behind and around cars. While all precautions will be taken to avoid, plowed snow will inevitably accumulate next to cars parked on the street each time the truck plows snow from the street. If shoveling or blowing snow, please place it onto grass-covered common areas or your own private property. This applies to contractors, residents, or anyone hired to perform snow removal service by a resident.

CCA will work with the contractor to remove all large snowdrifts created by VDOT at main intersections and crosswalks. Residents are responsible for removing snow from sidewalks in front of their townhomes or single-family homes. CCA will remove snow from a number of other sidewalks and trails throughout the community, especially those surrounding our community centers.

For storms that are greater than eight inches, the Association will provide updates on the snow removal process during and following the event. These updates will be provided on Cascadesva.com, Facebook, and by email.

VDOT Managed Streets

VDOT's goal is to make all state-maintained roads passable within 48 hours after a winter storm ends. Northern Virginia residents can check the plowing status of their neighborhoods. 

VDOT follows a very specific plan for each winter storm. Its road-clearing priorities are:

  • Interstates and most primary roads
  • Snow emergency routes and heavily trafficked roads
  • Other secondary roads and residential streets

Residents must clear their own sidewalks. With heavy snow, plowing can cause snow to accumulate in roadside gutters and on-road shoulders - sometimes even blocking driveways. When this occurs, VDOT asks that you shovel snow to the right of your driveway as you face the road. This is to prevent snow from piling up again if your road is re-plowed.

If you cannot park in your driveway, try to park on the odd-numbered side of the street. While that may mean you are parking in front of someone else's house, it will better allow drivers to plow a 10 foot wide (or wider) lane. A plow needs 8 feet of width to make a pass, so if it cannot safely get down a street because of cars on both sides, the driver may skip that street until it becomes safe enough to pass through.