New Seattle Snow Plan: Yes to Salt & Pre-treating Streets

It is an issue so important to Seattle drivers, a lot of people feel it cost the mayor his job. So this winter there is a new plan in place to keep roads safe during snowstorms.

Record snow paralyzed the city last December making it nearly impossible to get to work or school. The Seattle transportation department was criticized for not responding soon enough or with the right equipment. Monday transportation managers announced a new snow readiness and response plan. Here are the details from the department's website:


SDOT's updated Snow and Ice Response Plan has five components:

A new approach to snow fighting, based on nationwide best practices, tailored to Seattle. We drew most of our best-practice information from the Federal Highway Administration and worked closely with Seattle Public Utilities to make sure we are doing the right thing for our environment;

Significant improvements to our facilities and our fleet to include GPS technology and weather awareness; A revised and improved organizational structure during a winter storm event, and significant training to ensure that staff know, understand and are prepared to implement the new plan; A commitment to communicate with the people of Seattle and with our agency partners; and Performance measures to objectively evaluate our performance.

Seattle's Snow-Fighting Approach

The purpose of SDOT's snow and ice response is to maintain mobility on Seattle's streets and maintain access to the regional transportation system. We commit to achieving bare and wet pavement on specified streets within eight hours after a lull in the storm. Bare pavement means pavement free of most compacted snow and bonded ice (isolated pockets of slush may persist). Our plan is based on nationwide best practices and includes anti-icing, deicing, use of abrasives and specified snow clearing routes.

Anti-icing - Anti-icing takes place before the storm, when snow is predicted with 50 percent or greater certainty. An enhanced salt brine solution will be used to impede the bond between ice and the pavement. Of course, if it is raining, SDOT will use granular salt instead.

Deicing - Deicing removes snow and ice that have already accumulated. SDOT will apply an granular salt to designated routes when snow and ice are on the ground. The application rates for granular salt range from 150 to 300 pounds per lane-mile.

Sand - Using abrasives like sand is important for areas where additional traction is necessary: hills, curves and stopping zones. SDOT is using less sand than previously. This practice eases clean-up and disposal of left-over sand and reduces impacts on drainage systems.

The snow map shows the streets and their service levels. For a copy please contact us at (206) 684-ROAD (684-7623). The Downtown streets are shown in an inset on the map.

Routes were selected using criteria that include the busiest streets that connect our neighborhoods with downtown or within the greater Puget Sound region; streets used by the transit agencies even in harsh weather; streets used most frequently by public safety agencies; and streets deemed important to public institutions such as schools, universities and hospitals, and also Seattle's major employers.

SDOT has established a treatment service level for each snow route in the city. This is not a priority system, service level 1 and 2 will be treated at the same time.

Service Level 1: bare and wet from curb to curb Service Level 2: bare and wet in one lane in each direction Service Level 3: deicing treatment on curves, hills and stopping zones. SDOT has special emphasis patrols to address emergencies and trouble spots.

SDOT will deploy pedestrian safety crews to clear specified curb landings and stairways. These areas were selected using Pedestrian Master Plan criteria.

Facilities and Fleet Improvements

36 trucks and other pieces of equipment have been GPS-enabled with automated systems that report in real time the truck's location and critical snow-fighting data such as application of material and plow blade position. These data are displayed in the Charles Street Operations Center in real time and are archived for analysis and accountability.

SDOT has added two small snow plows with spreaders to its fleet this year. Trucks have been modified so that the granular materials will be properly pre-wetted with the salt brine.

A new work management system will be used to keep track of operational orders given, and the accomplishments achieved against those orders.