Meteorologists anticipate a “normal” winter, but conditions can quickly change when a storm rolls into the region. With that in mind, and a mix of rain and snow in the forecast, Spokane County road crews are ready to de-ice, sand or plow more than 2,500 miles of road – the largest county road system in the state of Washington.
Today, Spokane County Maintenance and Operations Superintendent Bob Keneally thanked crews in the county’s four road districts for being ready to serve at a moment’s notice.
“There have been harsh winters when our crews have worked 12-hour shifts and seven-days a week to clear thousands of miles of road, and their efforts are appreciated,” Keneally said.
During the winter months, Spokane County’s Public Works Department uses 35 graders, 25 sander/plow trucks, and 4 liquid de-icer trucks to clear roads in both urban and rural areas.
When a snow event occurs, crews in all four road districts are mobilized using a priority system:
1: Main arterials and emergency routes
2. Secondary arterials
3. Hilly residential areas
4. Flat residential areas.
Keneally added that the public can help by remembering two safety tips, “Snow removal equipment can be dangerous. Please stay 50 feet away from the equipment and NEVER pass on the right side of our trucks and graders.”
The Spokane County budget for winter road maintenance is approximately three-million dollars. If the winter and spring thaw are milder than expected, residual funds will be used for other road maintenance projects during the summer months.
During a snow event, the public can check the progress of county crews at:
www.spokanecounty.org/engineer and use the quick link “Snow Plow Priority Routes”.
(story: KHQ.com; photo: City of Spokane Twitter)