Late summer storms causing
winter-like problems in King County

 The calendar may say August, but King County road maintenance crews are keeping busy today responding to the type of road problems normally seen during the fall and winter storm season.

 Heavy rain for a second consecutive day has resulted in plenty of flooded streets, especially in the south King County area. Most of the local flooding is being caused by an abundance of dry leaves and debris clogging neighborhood storm drains. While the county frequently warns residents about the hazards of clogged culverts when leaves begin to fall later in the year, this current string of storms is producing similar drainage problems due to extremely dry vegetation and leftover debris from last year’s windstorms.

 Also, supervisors with the county’s road maintenance section say extremely dry soil conditions are contributing to local road and street flooding. Despite the recent rain, maintenance crews report the ground still has limited ability to absorb all the water that’s been falling. And, many roadways continue to be slick due to the oil that has been collecting on the pavement for several weeks. County crews are also on the lookout for hillside sloughing and erosion.

 With more rain on the way, King County is giving residents an early reminder to inspect storm drains near their property now, before the next storm arrives, to prevent local flooding problems. This simple step can go a long way toward keeping streets safe and clear while preventing private property damage. Residents are also encouraged to report problems on roads maintained by King County by calling the Road Services Division’s 24-hour Help Line at (206) 296-8100 or 1-800-KC ROADS.

The county is also reminding motorists to forget about those summer driving habits and prepare for fall and winter. That means watching your speed, leaving plenty of space between you and the car in front of you, detouring around any standing water you may encounter, and being on the lookout for weather-related road problems or closures.

Links to external sites do not constitute endorsements by King County.
By visiting this and other King County Web pages,
you expressly agree to be bound by terms and conditions of the site.
The details.