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Getting roads and sidewalks ready for school. Communities lend a hand (or a #SharedShovel) to help reopen schools on Thursday.

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Community members, Walter and Undra were out shoveling and salting curb ramps and sidewalks in front of their homes and near the church across the street.

Today was all hands on deck – we need all the help we can get! Parents and kids, local businesses, faith communities, community groups and organizations, and neighbors, joined our effort to shovel local sidewalks near elementary schools. This was a great opportunity to meet and bond with neighbors.

 

While the weather looked better today, we’re expecting more freezing temps tonight. The snowy slush you walked, rode, and drove on may become ice by morning. Our crews are still out in droves, 24/7, on 12-hour shifts to clear city roads before tonight’s freeze. And while we don’t mean to keep reminding everybody, we think it’s important that you should know the dedication behind the care for the great city we live in.

 

Our teams have not stopped working since before the first snowflake.

 

Our main city roads are clear but many wet so we continue to pre-treat the critical routes to prevent ice from forming overnight. We’re also clearing many neighborhood streets around town, especially the ones that lead to schools so that they’ll be safe for families by morning.  

Before and after glamor shots of neighbors across Seattle clearing their walkways for pedestrians.

Clearing the way for safe routes to school.

Our goal is to do everything we can to ensure safe routes for kids if the school district reopens tomorrow.

Many City department directors and staff from the mayor’s office demonstrating #OperationSharedShovel at Graham Hill Elementary on Wednesday afternoon.

We’re working closely with Seattle Public Schools to make sure that roads around schools are safe to drive, ride, and walk on. The district provided us with a list of nine public schools needing the most help:

  • Cascadia Elementary School,
  • Graham Hill Elementary,
  • Olympic View Elementary,
  • Eagle Staff/Cascadia,
  • Sacajawea,
  • View Ridge,
  • Wedgwood,
  • Thornton Creek, and
  • Decatur.

While these schools have been our priority, we’ve also been working in other areas of town too. We’ve:

 

Plowed near schools.

Crews and contractors have plowed many side streets within a three-block radius of these schools.

 

Cleared sidewalks near schools.

Hand crews, with the support from additional teams from other Seattle City Departments: Seattle Parks and Recreation, Seattle Public Utilities, and Finance and Administrative Services, focused on clearing sidewalks leading to schools.  

Community members, Dan and Daryl cleared the way for peds for their families and their neighbors.

 

Our goal is to do our part to help get the roads ready for school, but ultimately the decision about whether or not to reopen will be up to the Seattle Public School district and will be based on many factors besides just the condition of the roadways.  

Community members across the cities were out clearing, salting, and shoveling snow to clear walkways, sidewalks, curb ramps, and storm drains. Pictured: Community members Undra and Walter.

 

If you haven’t done so yet, please help the city-wide effort of #SharedShovel by shoveling your sidewalks, curb ramps, driveways, and storm drains. 

Sam Zimbabwe, SDOT Director, helped clear walkways and storm drains near Graham Hill Elementary.

Many City department directors and staff from the mayor’s office demonstrating #OperationSharedShovel at Graham Hill Elementary on Wednesday afternoon.

 

Why don’t we plow every street in the city? 

We’re doing our best to clear the streets that we can plow safely, but there are many challenges that make it impossible to clear every single street.  

Many streets are just too narrow for us to plow safely, especially when cars are parked on both sides of the street. There’s not always room for plows to get through without damaging cars or blocking them in behind piles of snow. So it’s simply not possible to plow these roads without also towing all the parked cars.  

We’re also doing our best to reopen streets on hills which were closed due to ice and snow. But this also presents challenges because some of these roads are too steep to safely operate a plow in icy conditions.  

 

Learn more about our #WinterWeatherResponse.

Learn more about our city-wide #WinterWeatherResponse. Visit our website. Download our full winter weather brochure for winter weather tips and our plow map – available in the following languages:

See where our plows have been.

 

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So long, farewell (viaduct).

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Remember me? The viaduct? 

It’s hard to believe that our city went from #Realign99 to #WinterWeatherResponse on the same day as the opening of the new SR #99Tunnel. The weekend prior to opening, nearly 100,000 people participated in the #Realign99 Step Forward activities to bid adieu to the viaduct and take in the outstanding views. Our colleague, Chun, was back in action, snapping some sweet aerial pictures of the festivities and massive crowd. C’mon with these aerial shots, though, Chun!

Aerial photo of people walking on viaduct, looking north.

An estimated 100,000 people walked the viaduct this past Saturday. The view looking north. Credit: Chun Kwan.

Aerial photo of people walking on viaduct, looking south.

Looking south. Credit: Chun Kwan.

 

People walking into the Battery St tunnel during the viaduct Step Forward festivities.

Heading into the Battery St tunnel, looking a little, er, zombie apocalyptic. Credit: Chun Kwan.

Largest bike event in the books!

Did you participate in the festivities? We were thrilled to also see 12,000+ people bike the viaduct. The state’s largest bike event. Ever.

Stay tuned for part 3 of pics – Chun tells us he’s planning on taking a ton of #demoday photos (as soon as this snow lets up) to document the disassembly of the viaduct.

 

Want more information about all things the #SeattleSqueeze? Visit our website!
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It’s not over yet – more freezing temperature on the way! Please clear storm drains.

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Hey everybody, meet Daryl. He shoveled his walkway and sidewalks for his family and his neighbors and then went on to shovel his other neighbor’s sidewalk.

We can’t say it enough.

Did you think we were going to say please shovel your walkways and sidewalks? Well, you’re wwrrrooong….right!😙 Well, first we wanted to give Seattle a giant-sized snowball-snowcone worth of a humungous thank you for helping the snow response effort by shoveling and clearing the snow and ice off your walkways and sidewalks (and storm drains). But there were some of you who literally kept on shoveling to help a neighbor. You all are just wonderful people, Seattle!

 

– A little “quote” from Forrest Gump (If he lived in Seattle during the great February 2019 snowstorm.)

 

I just kept on shoveling.

That day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run sidewalk snow shoveling. So I ran shoveled to the end of the road. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d run shovel to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I’d just run shovel across Greenbow King County. And I figured, since I run shoveled this far, maybe I’d just run shovel across the great state of Alabama Washington. And that’s what I did. I ran shoveled clear across Alabama Washington. For no particular reason I just kept on going. 

 

 

 

People helping people.

As Vince Vaughn once said, “Everyone wants to be a part of a miracle – people helping people. It’s powerful stuff.” We heard of neighbors walking dogs or feeding pets for those who couldn’t get outside. We heard of neighbors shoveling their neighbors’ sidewalks. And we heard of neighbors working together to exchange equipment from snow shovels to sleds.  

Your hard work is making it safe for your neighbors to get around in the snow.

 

It’s not over yet – more winter weather is on the way.  

While temperatures have risen and the snow has started to melt (hooray!), there’s more winter weather on its way, which means more work is ahead of us.

The National Weather Service has issued a flood warning through this evening, as excessive runoff from the combined rain and melting snow will cause some flooding of small creeks, streams, urban areas, streets, and underpasses as well as other drainage areas and low lying spots.

 

Temperatures may drop below freezing tonight. This could create icy conditions for Thursday morning’s commute, which is going to make all travel extremely challenging and hazardous. 

 

Check out the National Weather Service’s full prediction.  

 

We need your help.  

The great meltdown of 2019 has started! All that snow is turning into a lot of liquid on our streets and sidewalks. The water that collects on our streets flow into storm drains like the one above to help keep neighborhoods from flooding. We’re doing our best to clear storm drains but we need your help to locate and clear your neighborhood storm drains so they’re unblocked so that water can get its flow on and be freed into the drains and prevent ice from forming on the roadway. 

Seattle Public Utilities’ drainage crews work hard to maintain all of the City’s drainage infrastructure, including storm drains on streets. But with tens of thousands of drains spread all across the City, we need your help too.  

 

Please help prevent urban flooding by clearing nearby storm drains. Your help is critical. 

 

This is how you do it.

If you can safely do so, use a shovel, rake, or broom to move snow, slush, and other debris off of the top of the storm drain. Keep any accumulation about one foot away from the curb, as this helps prevent ponds or puddles of water from forming and allows water to flow into the drain.  

Read more information on tips to reduce flooding, including more info on the City of Seattle’s drainage system, on Seattle Public Utilities’ webpage here! 

 

Besides keeping our storm drains clear, here’re a few other reasons why shoveling is important.  

 

  • Safety! Shoveling prevents ice and keeps people from falling. 
  • Accessibility for people with disabilities. People who need wheelchairs and mobility devices to get around may have a much harder time traveling across slippery sidewalks and using ramps. Let’s make sure everyone can get where they need to go. 
  • It’s the law. Sidewalks and driveways are the responsibility of the adjacent property owner to maintain and clear.  

 

It’s time to get creative.  

Use what you’ve got.

Don’t have a snow shovel? Lots of household items can substitute! One super smart SDOTTER used a baking pan to shovel the sidewalks in front of his house.

 

Put the kids to work.

Have kids? Get the kids outside while there’s no school and have them help play!  Weee!! Shoveling is so much fun!

 

Spread the word.

Have a neighborhood Facebook group, NextDoor community, or email listserv? That’s the perfect place to spread the word about the need to shovel, exchange equipment, or best yet…organize a snow shoveling block party! You can also organize a neighborhood outing to shovel walkways, check on vulnerable neighbors, and make sure pets are safe and warm. 

 

Getting through all this snow and ice takes a village city.

This means we all need to help each other. Lend a hand to your neighbors and to our crews and take the time to clear your sidewalks and storm drain.  Thanks for all your help, Seattle!

We’re all in this together.

 

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Say what, now? Learn how to talk #WinterWeatherResponse nerd speak.

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Hi, I’m a skid steer.

 

Sometimes we talk nerd.

From time to time, we SDOTTERS have been known to speak in some really ridiculous technical nerd transportation speak that resembles what most would think might be an alien language👽 but really – English. During our #WinterWeatherResponse, our operations team go full throttle with strange words that may or may not mean anything to some who just wants to know what the heck is up with your wonderfully plowed PBLs (protected bike lanes)!😁

 

Psst, we’ve plowed our city’s fabulous bike lanes! See where we’ve been here.

 

We don’t mean to, Seattle! So to #justdobetter (haha!) and in an effort to speak more clearly, and also help you up your snow response lingo game, we’ve curated an assortment of familiar and not-so-familiar words to de-code SDOT operations update.  

 

We know you’re secretly a nerd at heart. So – here – you – go.

 

Salts 101:

Anti-icing

Anti-icing is an application of enhanced (we’re so fancy) salt brine (Magnesium Chloride, defined below) to specified city streets when a winter weather event is forecasted. Anti-icing is the pre-treatment snow crews use to prevent ice from bonding to the pavement and allows for easier removal.

 

Brine

Brine is a mix of rock salt and Magnesium Chloride, dissolved in water and sprayed on the road as anti-icing or pre-wetting measures.

 

De-icing

De-icing is an application of salt on top of snow and/or ice after it has accumulated. De-icing accelerates the melting of snow and ice that has already accumulated on city streets.  

 

Magnesium Chloride

Magnesium Chloride is the newest de-icing salt. It continues to melt snow and ice until the temperature reaches -13 F. The salt releases 40 percent less chloride into the environment that either rock salt or Calcium Chloride.  

 

Snow Routes 101: 

Gold Routes

We established service level goals within our 2018-2019 Snow and Ice Plan. Gold Routes provide regional connections. Our main goal with Gold Routes is to achieve wet and bare pavement for all travel lanes within 12 hours of a significant lull in the storm.  

 

Fun fact: Approximately 476 lane miles of Gold Level streets are located within the city.  

 

Emerald Routes

Emerald routes provide citywide connections. Our Emerald Route goal is to plow and maintain snow and ice-free pavement for one lane in each direction within 12 hours of a significant lull in the storm.  

 

Fun fact:  Approximately 650 lane miles of Emerald Level streets are located within the city.

 

Check out the winter weather response map to see all the Emerald and Gold routes and get the inside scoop on Seattle’s snow and ice street network.

 

Snow Equipment 101: 

Hi, I’m a grader.

Grader

A grader is a vehicle that plows, like the one pictured above.

 

Skid Steer

A skid steer is a smaller plowing vehicle for tight areas like protected bike lanes (PBLs). Big shout out to our partners at the Seattle Department of Parks and Recreations who are helping our amazing transportation crews clear PBLs! 

 

Plows

A plow is a general term for all plowing vehicle equipment.  

 

Snowblower

A snow blower is a machine that clears fallen snow by blowing it to the side. 

 

Hand Crews

Hand crews are people who shovel snow by hand (thank you hand crews!)  

 

Boom – there you have it! We dub thee a transportation nerd!

 

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Snow + Ice Response: Clearing the way for people biking.

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We need your help Seattle – today’s weather is shifting and we’re anticipating rain/snow mix that will create a slushy mess for our streets. Please help clear your neighborhood storm drains to prevent flooding. Thank you!

Winter is here – and we’re working hard to keep you moving.

As part of our snow and ice response, our crews have been working hard to ensure that critical streets remain clear. We’re also so thankful for all of you who have been working hard to keep your sidewalks and driveways clear, and we’re working to take care of those sidewalks on bridges, curb ramps downtown, and other locations to keep people moving safely.

 

Track plowing progress.

Screen shot of SDOT interactive Storm Response Map.

Keep tabs on which streets have been treated and when using our Storm Response Map.

Reminder: you can track plowing progress at our interactive Storm Response Map. It shows the roads that our crews have serviced within the last hour and the last 3 hours, as well as reported obstacles that we’re responding to.

 

But that’s not all … SDOT crews are treating bike lanes, too!

Streets and sidewalks aren’t the only locations we’re working to clear. For those who have been braving our winter weather on bike, we salute you – and we’re committed to treating bike lanes so that you can ride safely!

How do we do it?

We have special equipment (called skid-steers, or skid loaders or “bobcats”) to plow protected bike lanes. These are four-wheel vehicles with a big shovel in the front to push snow and slush out of the way. A big thank you to our friends at the Seattle Parks Department, who have been helping our crews drive the skid-steers – it’s no easy job!

 

What bike lanes are being treated?

These are the protected bike lane locations our hardworking crews are being sent to today. If you see them, give them a wave and a “thank you” – but be sure to give them plenty of space to work!

 

This is an example of a skid steer, which is the vehicle we use to keep bike lanes clear. Photo courtesy of cat.com.

Protected Bike Lane Locations:

🚲Pike/Pine

🚲2nd Ave

🚲7th Ave

🚲Alaskan Way

🚲Port Side Trail

🚲Elliot Bay Trail

🚲Broadway

🚲Dexter

🚲Westlake

 

Check out these maps!

The maps below show which areas our crews will be addressing today to keep these protected bike lanes clear for people biking.

 

Westlake Snow and Ice Bike Response

Westlake Snow and Ice Response

Downtown Snow and Ice Bike Response

Downtown Snow and Ice Response

To see all existing bike routes across the city, click here to view our SDOT Bike Map. This is a super helpful resource for planning your route.

sdot bike map

 

It’s still cold out there, Seattle!

If traveling by bike in winter weather, please wear the appropriate cold weather gear and turn your lights on. Give yourself lots of time to reach your destination, start slowing down early, and take your commute SLOW. We want you to reach your destination safely!

We’re keeping a close eye on the weather, as the National Weather Service is predicting from 1-3” of snow today, which will turn into rain in the afternoon. If possible, we encourage you to flex your work schedules and avoid traveling whenever possible. If you do need to travel, please do so slowly and allow yourself plenty of time to reach your destination.

 

Thanks for your patience as our crews continue to work non-stop to keep people moving safely through winter conditions!

 

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Sooo,. . .This may look cool, but it’s not.

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There’s one word to describe why one may see a “Street Closed” sign posted on a random hilly Seattle street.

 

S A F E T Y

 

Our crews aren’t the only ones out there working hard to keep you safe and out of harm’s way. The very fine women and men of the Seattle Police Department (SPD) are also out securing snow and ice ridden roads that could potentially pose increased safety hazards to drivers and those of us on foot taking in the snowy Seattle scene.

 

I mean, sure, it may be tempting to throw caution to the wind and do this:

A group enjoying a little SPD street closure sledding.

And heck, if there isn’t a soul around, one may also be tempted to puff, puff pass the SPD street closure sign . . .

A driver, puff, puff passing a prominently placed street closure sign.

But

A driver doing figure-8 donuts in a parking lot.

No matter the situation, just say no to breaking Section 11.20.380 of the Seattle Municipal Code, which states “No person shall disobey the applicable instructions of any official traffic-control device unless otherwise directed by a peace officer.” Cause who wants to be a lawbreaker?

 

RESIST the temptation to do this.

And for those passers-by who happen upon a closure sign that’s misplaced, knocked over or just plain old missing, please, call non-emergency dispatch at 206-625-5011 to report. SPD will take care of it.

 

Remember safety first.

If really want to have some fun in the snow, help your neighbors particularly seniors and friends and neighbors with mobility challenges by clearing walkways and sidewalks.

 

 

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WINTER WEATHER ALERT FEBRUARY 8-9: Get Ready!

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Here comes round two of snow and ice. Are you ready?

The National Weather Service’s Seattle office has issued a winter storm warning for our region, in effect from noon today until 4 PM Saturday.

Heavy snow is expected, with 6-8″ of snowfall in Seattle. The heaviest snowfall will occur between 3 – 10 PM this evening. North to northeast winds will increase tonight to 15-30 mph, with gusts up to 45 mph. View the winter storm warning here. 

 

 

 

It’s going to be snowy, windy, and cold, which is going to make travel very challenging.

5 things to know about winter weather forecasts.

Please plan ahead and avoid traveling unless necessary. Make sure that you, your family, your friends, and your home and vehicle are all prepared now – before it’s really bad – so you have options over the next few days.

 

Did you choose to drive today? Please head home now!

Did you drive to work this morning or are out running errands? Please suspend normal travel patterns and head toward home now – before the snow starts falling.  Leaving now and getting your vehicle to a safe spot at home and out of the way is critical if we’re going to prevent icy gridlock tonight.

Got a car waiting for you at quitting time downtown? Don’t wait. We especially need you, the downtown Seattle commuter, to get that vehicle straight to your home, garage, or driveway ASAP.

We can only do our job of clearing slippery streets when personal cars and trucks aren’t in the way. Clogged commuter routes and any abandoned car stop us in our tracks. That means no plowing, prepping, or salting until we get our trucks moving again.

 

We’re ready to plow and clear streets 24/7 – starting yesterday.

We’ve got our top-notch team treating streets now.

 

We work before, during, and after storms.

That means spreading deicer on our most critical streets, using salt, and doing our best to plow snow before it accumulates and gets packed into an almost-impenetrable icy layer that locals lovingly call “Seattle cement.”

We’ll keep working 24/7 through the weekend to treat our critical streets, which are most important for getting to major public institutions such as hospitals and schools; the streets that are most frequently used by police, fire trucks and buses; and streets leading to Seattle’s major employers.

 

We’re treating pedestrian bridges, outdoor stairways, and curb ramps.

We are also treating pedestrian bridges, outdoor stairways, and curb ramps. which are not in front of homes or businesses. Reminder: sidewalks and driveways are the responsibility of the property owner to maintain and clear. If a property owner fails to keep their sidewalks clear leading to exceptionally dangerous conditions, you may report it to us on the Find It, Fix It app or by emailing a picture to 684-ROAD@seattle.gov.

Check out our Winter Weather Storm Response map for live camera feeds of neighborhood streets, identified obstacles, and the latest streets we’ve treated. We call out streets that have been treated in the last hour, last three hours, and last twelve hours so you can plan ahead.

 

 

Click here for the full size snow and ice route map, which shows the critical streets treated by our SDOT crews.

Critical streets, life-safety routes are priority #1.

One takeaway from all this planning that is important to remember – not all streets get equal treatment during a snowstorm. Those biggest, busiest, most critical streets with major transit and life safety services are our top tier (they’re gold and green on our map).

We simply can’t treat and plow every street in the city. It’s not practical and not safe. Plus, for those especially narrow, hilly, or curved streets, we’d have to start towing cars to get our plow blades safely through. Check out the winter weather response map to learn Seattle’s snow and ice street network.

 

Prepare thyself, Seattle traveler.

Our latest blog post has all of the details on how you can plan ahead and travel safely during this time. Tips: keep your sidewalk clear of snow and ice, give yourself lots of extra travel time, avoid driving if possible, and stock up on emergency supplied.

You may also use our winter storm preparedness checklist. If you can, print it out and cross off items as you go. We also have good information about how to make a plan and be a good neighbor during the storm.

 

More resources:

 

Be prepared and stay safe out there!

 

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WINTER WEATHER ALERT: Now is the time to prepare for this weekend’s storm.

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Oh, snow!

We came together as a city to make it through the first blitz of the Seattle Freeze, but it looks like another severe snowstorm is on the horizon.

The National Weather Service is predicting another blast of cold snow will hit the Seattle area starting Friday afternoon. This storm could be even worse than the last one, with up to 12 inches of snow and 45 mph winds.

It is absolutely critical that we all work together to prepare before the storm hits.

 

Brace yourself: another storm is coming.

winter weather february 8-10Today will be your best chance to get ready before the storm arrives tomorrow.

Snow could start to fall mid-day on Friday and is expected to increase in intensity over the weekend. We’re preparing for up to 12 inches of snow and possible 45 mph winds. There could be even more snow storms occurring over the next 10 days.

 

If you don’t have to drive – don’t.

getting traction - tips for traveling in winter weather

If you can possibly avoid it, do not drive tomorrow. We expect snow to start falling mid-day on Friday, so if you drive to work home, you may not be able to get home. If you abandon your car on a major road, it will be towed.

In case you do need to drive:

  • Make sure your car or truck can manage variable road conditions – think all-wheel drive, 4-wheel drive, a full tank of gas, and put chains on your tires.
  • If you’re on the road, slow down and give other vehicles plenty of space to stop. Remember that bridges and raised roadways are likely to be icy, even when the roads are not.
  • Respect the STREET CLOSED signs. They’re there for a reason.

 

Here’s how to get ready.

child_shoveling

If this little guy can do it, so can you!

 

Although most of us learned a few lessons from the snow that fell earlier this week, it doesn’t hurt to get a refresher on how to prepare for a snow event. Here are a few tips, but see the end of this post for more helpful details!

  • ❄️It is your responsibility to treat the sidewalks in front of your home or business with salt or another environmentally friendly de-icing product. Do this today; because once ice forms tonight, it will be too late!
  • ❄️When the snow starts to fall, shovel your walkways each day to prevent ice from forming overnight. Whatever you do, please be safe – it’s slippery out there.
  • ❄️We’re all in this together. If your neighbor is out of town or unable to clear their sidewalk, please pitch in and help them out. If everyone does their part, sidewalks will be safe so people can reach the bus stop or store.

 

What is SDOT doing to get ready?

Well, we definitely won’t be “shredding pow” up in the mountains while all of this is going on. Instead, we’re going on high alert! When it snows and freezes, we commit to using all the tools possible to make sure the people have a safe way to get around.

Our strategy is to focus our resources on keeping the city’s most critical roadways safe to travel on. These streets were chosen because they are essential routes for hospitals, buses, and the most people traveling through our streets. View our Winter Weather Snow and Ice Route map here.

We work together with King County Metro to keep bus routes as clear of snow and ice as possible. The goal is to enable people to get around the city by bus, making it easier to leave your cars at home. Learn more on King County Metro’s Winter Weather

View our interactive Winter Weather Response Map here. This map shows the streets we’ve treated in the last 12 hours, and provides a live look at streets across the city using our traffic cameras so that you can see current road conditions and plan ahead.

 

More winter weather resources:

Safe travels, Seattle!

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SNOW & ICE IN SEATTLE — It takes a city!

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Yep! We’re in for more snow.

Snow in Seattle – it doesn’t happen often, but when it does (“Yaaay – snow days!” said all the kids in Seattle), it can impact our transportation system and the way we all get around. In Seattle, some winters bring heavy snowfall and other years see no snow accumulation at all.

 

What’s up with our weather?

A weather phenomenon called the Puget Sound Convergence Zone causes some parts of the city to get inches of snow, while other parts get rain or even sun.

Visit the National Weather Service for the latest forecasts. Also, a heads up – cold temperatures and more snow are in the forecast for the rest of this week.

We might see more snow showers persisting through Monday with a 10-percent chance of snow Thursday evening, increasing to 50 percent chance Friday day with new snow accumulation of less than 1/2 inch.

 

We’re committed to working hard for you!

When winter weather brings precipitation and freezing temperatures, our team go on high alert. We commit to using all the tools possible to make sure the people of Seattle and our interagency partners are fully informed and involved in our snow response. If you’re curious about the work our crews have accomplished during this year’s winter weather like how:

  • We’ve developed a snow and ice response plan that’s made for Seattle’s weather to keep major streets open and passable to the greatest extent possible.
  • We plow major streets, which are the most important for getting to major institutions such as hospitals and schools; police, fire trucks, and buses; and streets leading to Seattle’s major employers. Read up on it in our recent blog post.
  • We work together with King County Metro to keep bus routes as clear of snow and ice as possible. The goal is to enable people to get around the city by bus, making it easier to leave your cars at home. Learn more on King County Metro’s Winter Weather page.

 

It takes a village city!

It really does take a city to help clear the way of snow and ice. Although we wish we can be omnipresent at all times, we rely on businesses and residents across Seattle to keep their sidewalks clear of snow and ice to make sure people can travel on sidewalks safely. If you can, please help a neighbor who might not be able to clear their sidewalks. Clearing snow before it turns to ice is best, and having a bag of street salt on hand is a good winter-preparedness move.

 Title 15 of the Seattle Municipal Code calls on property owners and contractors to clear, clean, or repair the public right-of-way adjacent to their property.
Caring for sidewalks and other rights-of-way (ROW) next to private property is the responsibility of the property owner or contractor working at the adjacent job site. More information on property owners’ responsibilities can be found on our website.

 

Access for people walking and biking is a priority for us.

What about sidewalks on bridges, bike lanes, or other areas where there’s not an adjacent property owner?

Access for people walking and biking is a priority for us during our winter weather response efforts. Our crews will monitor and identify bike lanes and sidewalks on gold and emerald routes to ensure they are clear as providing access for emergency responders and freight and transit are our primary access. Other priorities include sidewalks and paths across bridges and bike lanes leading to and through downtown.

 

Let us know!

While our crews are out plowing, salting, and patrolling the city (around the clock) to identify trouble spots and treat them, if you’re noticing sidewalks on bridges, bike lanes, or other streets that need a bit of attention, please let us know through the Find It, Fix It app, by emailing 684-ROAD@seattle.gov, or by calling 206.684.ROAD.

We’ll let our crews know as they continue to patrol the city, and they’ll work to identify priority locations to get them addressed in a timely manner. We appreciate your patience as our crews perform this work across the city – it’s a big job!

Read more about SDOT’s Winter Weather Response here. 

 

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Our snow and ice crews continue on as more snow and ice returns tonight.

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It’s cold, Seattle.

The forecast shows snow continuing throughout the night, especially after midnight. Expect about 1-2″ of snow accumulation with more at higher elevations in the city.

Many routes have a mix of conditions. Some lanes are bare and wet while some portions of all routes have compact snow and slush. As the temperature continues to drop and the pavement becomes colder, ice will form.

 

You need to prepare. 

We will continue to work as expeditiously and hard for you to be safe and have accessible roads for our buses, first responders, and large employers. Please prepare for a potential icy commute. If possible, please avoid driving. Tomorrow will be another great day to flex those commute schedules if possible. Travel will be challenging for everyone – stay safe, stay alert, and plan ahead. Wear the appropriate cold weather clothing including hats, gloves, and boots.

 

If you need to drive:

Check out WSDOT’s traffic cameras to see current conditions on our major highways. Slow down, be patient, and leave lots of room for the car in front of you. Even if pavement appears to be bare, it can still be icy due to freezing conditions. Stick to major roads and check our Winter Weather Response map to see which roads have been plowed before you go.

Clear your windows, fill your gas tank, and check your tires to ensure your car is good to go BEFORE you leave. Bring the necessary gear, such as an ice scraper, a flashlight, tire chains, and water and snacks. Please obey “Street Closed” signs – they’re placed there for your safety and allow us and the Seattle Police Department to keep an eye on the situation.

Lastly, be kind to one another. Look out for pedestrians and children playing in the snow. Give plow trucks and other road crews lots of room to work.

You’re responsible for outfitting your cars for winter weather, including chains or other traction devices. Remember, while snow is forecasted to taper off, temperatures will stay cold and streets have the potential to be slick.

 

If you’re riding transit:

King County Metro: Sign up for King County Metro alerts. Know your bus’s schedule by checking King County Metro’s Snow, Ice, & Flood Alerts page. More info and resources are available on their Metro Winter webpage.

Sound Transit: Sign up for Sound Transit’s Rider Alerts. Plan ahead by checking your bus and train schedule. More info is available on their Riding Transit in Winter webpage.

 

Follow us on Twitter for real-time traffic updates.

Follow SDOT, WSDOT, and King County Metro on Twitter for additional information throughout the day:

 

Here’s our action plan:

  • We’ll continue running 12-hour snow and ice response shifts.
  • We’ll apply salt as needed to minimize ice formation with an emphasis on steeper routes and higher elevations.
  • We have begun planning for the next storm front expected Thursday/Friday.

 

It’s been about 36 hours since our crews hit the road.

Our crews started with pretreating the roadways before the snow fell with salt brine to prevent ice from forming. And as the snow fell overnight and throughout the morning, our crews continue to drive their routes, treating the roadway with salt where needed. At any time, you can check our interactive Winter Weather Map to see where we’ve plowed in the last 1-3 hours. You can also click on cameras to see road conditions.

We’ve had three dozen plow crews treating city streets. Our crews will continue to operate at full capacity over the next 48 hours.

 

The night snow and ice crews are already out.

Day Shift has taken over from night shift and now night shift has taken over for our day shift. New drivers are on the road to continue treating and plowing all routes through the night with a newly replenished supply of 500+ tons of salt for our 35+ plows. Drivers from Seattle Public Utilities and Seattle Parks and Recreation have partnered with us to help in this great effort.

For each 12-hour shift, there is 50-60 staff who have so far treated our surface streets with approximately 400 tons of salt. In addition, we have 15-30 hand crews clearing curb ramps for pedestrians.

Please help in this effort as good neighbors and remove the snow and ice from sidewalks in front of your property and if you can, help a neighbor who might not be able to clear their sidewalks.

 

Levels of snow & ice service.

In the last 36 hours, our crews have plowed routes at least three times.

Gold snow routes:

These are streets of regional importance for hospitals, buses, large trucks, and major employers. SDOT’s objective is to provide bare and wet pavement over all travel lanes within 12 hours of a significant lull in the storm.

Emerald snow routes:

These are streets of citywide importance for hospitals, buses, and general traffic.  SDOT’s objective is to provide bare and wet pavement for one lane in each direction within 12 hours of a significant lull in the storm.

As the snow continues throughout the night, we’d like to thank our city-wide crews.

They’ve been working around the clock in the freezing temperatures since yesterday. As a collective whole, we’d like to send them loads of love, appreciation, and safety as they continue to clear the roadways for our city. Thank you – thank you to our knockout crews! We truly have the best.

 

 

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