Snow Plow Routes
SEE IN REAL-TIME: Recently plowed streets
Levels of Service
We provide the highest level of service to the most significant streets within the city of Seattle (The Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT) maintains I-5, I-90, and several bridges in Seattle). When snow falls, crews continuously plow streets and treat them with salt where needed. We prioritize routes used by first responders and transit to major institutions like hospitals, schools, and major employers. Non-arterial streets are not plowed.
Download the Seattle Snow Plow Routes map that shows the different snow routes in two different colors: gold and emerald.
GOLD Snow Routes
These are streets of regional importance for hospitals, buses, large trucks, and major employers. Our 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. Our objective is to provide bare and wet pavement for one lane in each direction within 12 hours of a significant lull in the storm.
Travel Safely
We do not plow, or salt treat less traveled on and hilly streets that can become unsafe for travel. At the start of winter, we store STREET CLOSED signs on street corners. When Seattle Police Officers decide a street is unsafe for travel, they move the signs to the middle of the road.
