City of Seattle Snow & Ice Plan Summary

The City of Seattle has been generally effective in its efforts to deal with unpredictable snowfall.

Snowstorms which hit in the middle of a weekday, while commuters are at work and must return home, will always cause disruption and delays.

However, the City’s Snow and Ice Response Plan enables the City to deal effectively with most situations.

Some storms, because of their timing or severity, simply exceed the City’s capabilities. In these cases, the Plan can only minimize the inevitable disruption.

THE PURPOSE OF THE SNOW AND ICE RESPONSE PLAN:

The overall purpose of the City’s Snow and Ice Response Plan is two-fold:

to maintain open to traffic a network of pre-selected, key routes that provide reasonable access to most areas of the city and the regional transportation system during snow and ice conditions, and

to make all city streets accessible as quickly as possible.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES OF THE PLAN ARE TO:

Standardize a source of weather forecasting to assure the best assessment of real time weather conditions and supplement it with frequent communication with other cities, when contact can be made, to obtain the most reliable weather predictions possible.

Sand and/or plow pre-selected snow routes to maintain safe access by motorists, emergency vehicles, school buses, and transit.

Take prescribed special measures in response to storms threatening peak commute hours.

Prioritize activities as needed to respond effectively to a wide variety of conditions.

Provide general, seasonal information at the beginning of each snow season.  Remind the public of necessary vehicle preparedness and the difficulties associated with driving in snow and icy conditions.

Provide advance public information on the status and projected severity of forecast snowstorms to promote informed driving decisions, including snow routes.

Provide ongoing information during and immediately after a storm to the regarding roadway service activities and the status of available routes to the general public, King County Transit, Police and Fire Departments, schools, hospitals and social service agencies.

Assist emergency service providers, including City Police and Fire Departments, to the degree practicable that allows them to carry out activities hindered by snow and ice.

Include Seattle schools, hospitals and other City departments in the decision-making and communications processes.

Coordinate snow and ice responses with the City’s Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan.

Develop a specialized public information and media relations plan oriented around snow and icy conditions.

KEY ELEMENTS OF THE CITY’S SNOW AND ICE RESPONSE PLAN:

A.  Pre-Season Preparation

Calibrate spreaders to reduce sand and alternative deicer waste and minimize environmental impacts of salt.

Establish criteria for the selection of snow routes to ensure City priorities are met.

B.  Weather forecasting

Communicate with other cities to determine the severity of snowstorms as well as the speed at which they are approaching Seattle.

Regularly check reports from Northwest Weathernet, which provides twice daily reporting during the winter months as well as special updates as needed and the National Weather Service.

SDOT staff monitor area traffic cameras to determine what the conditions are in different parts of the area when snow is forecast or falling

C.  Transportation Department Responses

Implement "bare pavement policy for the West Seattle high-rise bridge and key downtown streets.

Use of anti- icing and de-icing alternatives, rather than salt, to prevent corrosion while enhancing snow control operations.

Use of additional equipment and personnel from other Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) divisions when necessary.

Expansion of the services SDOT will provide in severe conditions to meet urgent needs of social service agencies.

D.  Communications

Annual update of a Snow & Ice Response Plan, a document that comprehensively describes SDOT's policies and procedures.

Confirm communication and reporting procedures through SDOT and City management.

Coordination and communication with outside agencies including the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), King County/Metro, the Seattle School District, and area hospitals.

Inclusion of Seattle School District, area hospitals and City departments in the decision-making and communications processes.

Placement of Seattle Police Department (SPD) Officer at the Charles Street Command Center during an event to facilitate co-ordination between SPD and SDOT.

Coordination of SDOT snow and ice responses with the City's Disaster Preparedness and Response Plan.