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Lending a helping snowplow
Last week, they asked for some major snow removal assistance. The problem was not just keeping roads plowed, but also moving growing mounds of snow away from roadsides. “The snowfall has been huge and almost a daily occurrence since the winter storms began in November,” said King County Road Services Director Linda Dougherty. “There has been a major snow accumulation daily on roadways, and then the constant plowing has deposited very high piles of snow along the roadways. Those roadside piles were so built up that they had to be excavated with a loader and hauled away by dump truck to a nearby location.“ Dougherty said the county crews were having a serious problem keeping the unincorporated roadways clear. Yet, when the city began having the same troubles, she had no hesitation in offering help.
Bob Pugh is the supervisor for King County’s Skykomish maintenance yard. He and most of his four-person crew live in the community, so it made the most sense to have them assist the city in addition to plowing surrounding roads maintained by the county. But snow was still falling, and someone had to keep the county roads clear. That’s where Tod Reeve and his crew from the county’s maintenance yard in Renton rode to the rescue with an additional six trucks and two loaders. When they started the work on Thursday, Jan. 31, snow had been falling steadily for four days. The snow moving work took them three full days, and by then the white stuff had begun to taper off. But with more heavy snow in the forecast, crews are ready to team up again if necessary. “Our staff put together a rapid and well thought out strategy,” said Dougherty. “I really appreciate their work in the tough, and unrelenting battle against the record snowfall. It was an extraordinary effort to keep the roads in the Skykomish area safe and passable for the citizens we serve, and I know the city is very grateful for the assistance being provided to them.” Some of the road crews working in the Skykomish area say they’ve seen more snow this winter than any other winter they’ve experienced in the high country. Even though historically some of the biggest snowstorms in the area have come in March, they’re not willing to make any long-term forecasts. “They say the only people up here that predict the weather is a tourist or a fool,” said Pugh with a laugh. |
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