Snow and Ice Plan for unincorporated King County

Introduction

Event background and response

Divisions and equipment allocations

2007-2008 Snow and Ice Route Map (2MB .pdf)

Winter driving – frequently-asked questions
Public Schools Emergency Communications System

Taking Winter by Storm

Introduction

The King County Department of Transportation, Road Services Division maintains roads within unincorporated King County to increase the public's safety. As part of its mission, the Division conducts sanding and snow removal operations to mitigate hazardous driving conditions during snow and ice events.

The King County Snow and Ice Plan is designed to provide the safest possible roadway system and access routes for the motoring public, Metro Transit, public schools, fire, police, aid vehicles, the citizens of King County, and the surrounding communities; however, it will not eliminate the impacts or effects of a snow emergency.

The intent of this plan is to reduce the threat to public safety from a snow and ice emergency. During inclement weather, the Department of Transportation will make every effort to maintain the traffic flow in unincorporated King County to as near normal driving conditions as possible.

Event background and response

Initial response to a snow and ice event

The Road Services Division is responsible for approximately 2,165 miles of roadway (this includes contract services provided to the cities of Burien, Covington, and Sammamish). Road Services crews also assist other surrounding jurisdictions if resources are available.

The following snow and ice equipment is dispersed throughout the unincorporated area and contract cities:

4 - sander trucks
32 - snow plow and sander combinations
11 - graders

Priority listing of roadways

Each one of the four geographic road maintenance divisions has a pre-established priority listing of roadways to sand and plow. Priorities are established by the following designations:

Major arterials
Metro Transit and school bus snow routes
Emergency routes (i.e., hospital access routes)
Access roads to freeways and park and ride lots

When a snow and ice event continues, priority routes are monitored by Road Maintenance forces on a regular check-back basis. Some roadways may require sanding and plowing as many as six or seven times within a 12-hour shift. Therefore some routes on the priority list may not be sanded until first priority routes are clear depending on the severity of the event.

Although it is difficult to utilize crews to sand and plow lower priority residential roadways, Road Maintenance forces make every attempt to clear steep access roads in heavily populated areas. Crews also strive to sand problematic or dangerous intersections, curves, and steep hills.

Organization of staff and equipment

King County Roads Maintenance headquarters is located in Renton. This facility provides 24-hour a day, 7-days a week staffing and accepting requests for services as well as proaviding current road condition information.

Divisions and equipment allocations

Division organization

Road Maintenance Operations are divided into four separate geographic divisions. Each division is managed and maintained by a supervisor and an assigned staff ranging from 11 to 35 employees. Each division supervisor is responsible for planning, scheduling, and dispatching crews during snow and ice events. The Division maintenance superintendent is responsible for all four divisions and oversees the emergency response effort Countywide. Additional support is allocated depending on prevailing conditions. Locations of operating headquarters by Road Maintenance Division are as follows:

Division boundaries

Division 1:
Bruggers Bog: 19547 25th Avenue NE, Shoreline
Cadman: 19101 NE Union Hill Road, Redmond
This division encompasses all of the area of unincorporated King County north of the City of Seattle to the Snohomish County line; from the Richmond Beach area, east to the West Snoqualmie Valley Road, and running in a southerly direction to include the areas of Redmond, Kirkland, Woodinville, and Juanita.

Division 2:
Issaquah: 23240 SE 74th Street, Issaquah
Fall City: 4341 Preston-FallCity Rd, SE, Fall City
Skykomish: 74212 Old Cascade Hwy, Skykomish
This division encompasses all of the area of unincorporated King County east of West Snoqualmie Valley Road abutting to Division 1, from the Snohomish County line, running southerly and including the Snoqualmie Valley area, North Bend, Issaquah, and the Newport area to the May Valley Road and Southeast 128th Street running westerly to the Renton City Limits, and northerly to Division 1.

Division 3:
Star Lake: 26701 28th Avenue South, Kent
This division encompasses all of the area of unincorporated King County south of the City of Seattle in a southerly direction to Pierce County line and from Puget Sound easterly, to the west boundary of Division 4. It encompasses the areas of Skyway, Tukwilla, Kent, Covington, and Auburn. It should be noted that this division also includes Vashon Island.

Division 4:
Summit: 22801 SE 272nd Street, Maple Valley
Black Diamond: 20827 Auburn Black Diamond Rd, Auburn
This division encompasses all of the area of unincorporated King County from the Southerly boundary of Division 2 along southeast 128th Street, and May Valley Road, running south to the Pierce County Line and from State Highway 18 and the Maple Valley Highway, east to also include the areas of Maple Valley, Hobart, Ravensdale, Black Diamond, and Enumclaw.

Field offices and sand stockpile sites are located throughout each division to serve the areas efficiently and effectively. King County Roads Maintenance also has a Special Operations Section which is comprised of crews with county-wide areas of responsibility as follows:

Bridge maintenance
Drainage
Flood control
Vegetation management
Paving

During a major snow and ice event, Special Operations crews serve as supplemental forces and are dispatched to specific preassigned locations as needed. These crews provide expertise and support to the on-going 24-hour Road Maintenance Operations services.

Snow and ice equipment by division

Each of the four divisions discussed above has specific snow and ice removal equipment assigned to the sites. The equipment allocation and assignment follows:

Division 1:
- 4 - snow plows with sanders
- 1 - road graders
- 1 - alternate sand site
- 1 - 750 gallon anti-icing chemical applicator

Division 2:
- 5 - snow plows with sanders
- 3 - road graders
- 1 - 2-yard pickup mounted sander
- 1 - 750 gallon anti-icing chemical applicator

Division 3:
- 9 - snow plows with sanders
- 1 - sand truck
- 3 - road graders
- 3 - alternate sand sites
- 1 - 750 gallon anti-icing chemical applicator

Division 4:
- 8 - snow plows with sanders
- 1 - sand truck
- 2 - road graders
- 2 - alternate sand sites
- 1 - 750 gallon anti-icing chemical applicator

The Roads Maintenance Facility at Renton also houses the following pool equipment which can be dispatched as necessary:

Renton
- 1 - road grader
- 4 - backhoes
- 1 - front loader
- 11 - dump trucks
- 4 - dump trucks and trailers for sand stockpiles
- 4 - snow plows with sanders

Snow and ice operations - four phases

King County Roads Services Division mobilizes road crews based upon the severity of a snow and ice event. There are four phases of response, procedures, resource allocation, and coordination to a major storm event as listed below:

Phase 1
A severe storm is forecast. At least one to two inches of snow or severe frost are projected with temperatures below 25 degrees. The following steps are implemented:
- Division supervisors are alerted.
- Each area is checked for snow or freezing conditions.
- Maintenance crews prepare equipment for mobilization to begin snow and ice maintenance operations.
- Supervisor schedules part of the crew to initiate maintenance on previously established priority routes.
- Crews are on 8-hour shifts during this phase. They may be required to work more hours if the phase changes, or conditions warrant.

Phase 2
Snow or freezing conditions have occurred. Roads are extremely hazardous due to icing with accumulations of approximately two inches to one foot of snow. The following steps are implemented during this phase:
- Maintenance superintendent is alerted.
- All maintenance crews are divided into two 12-hour shifts to provide 24-hour coverage.
- Special Operations crews are dispatched as necessary to each division to provide support and expertise.
- Snow and ice teams are assigned specific areas within each division and provide maintenance and support to the established priority routes within those specific areas.
- All personnel keep detailed records of the lane miles sanded/plowed and the tons of sand and salt used.

Phase 3
Heavy snow continues to fall. The long-range forecast calls for more storms to enter the area with additional snow accumulations up to or greater than 12 inches. The following steps are implemented during this phase:
- Crews remain on 12-hour shifts for 24-hour per day coverage.
- The Maintenance Operations Manager is alerted.
- Additional departments within King County are requested to provide support to crews. These departments/divisions may include Solid Waste, Parks, etc.
- The Road Services Division Manager is continuously updated and advised of maintenance progress and/or problem areas.
- The Transportation public affairs officer is advised of the current conditions and progress.
- All available equipment is mobilized and operating 24-hours a day.
- Efforts are made to assist citizens whose vehicles are stranded and present a threat to public safety.
- Emergency services personnel are involved to provide a coordinated response to citizens' requests for assistance.
- Each maintenance division is required to submit frequent progress reports to the superintendent/operations manager.

Phase 4
Extreme cold prevails. The snow has reached or exceeded 24 inches, with additional snow in the forecast. The area has been immobilized. The following steps are implemented during this phase:
- Crews remain on 12-hour shifts for 24-hour per day coverage using all Roads Maintenance personnel.
- All available resources within King County are utilized.
- The Department of Transportation will request an Executive Emergency Declaration.
- Private contractors/vendors are contacted for additional support.

For more information about the King County Road Services Division Ice and Snow Plan, please contact the Road Services Division, Maintenance Section.

Updated: Nov. 21, 2007