SPOKANE, Wash. – Spokanites haven’t seen too many plows out in action on the roads this winter, but that might be changing.
In fact, the City of Spokane has yet to call for a full-city plow during this winter operations season, which runs from November 15 to March 15–the first time in quite a while one hasn’t been ordered before a new year.
Despite a relatively calm season so far, city spokesperson Kirstin Davis says they’re ready to go when duty eventually calls.
“The plows are ready to go, the staffing is ready to go” Davis said. “We monitor the weather 24 hours a day and adjust for conditions.”
Davis says they’ve looked at the mild winter as an opportunity.
“We have had some extra time to do some of those things like street sweeping, getting the streets maintained and cleaned up as much as possible without that snow on the ground.”
That also includes filling potholes– not just one or two more here and there either. Davis says city crews have filled 600 more potholes in 2023 compared to 2022.
“We’re really getting a few more filled because we haven’t had that constant freeze-thaw situations that causes those potholes to expand,” Davis said.
That, of course, begs the question: if the city’s been able to tackle that many more potholes this winter, have they been able to get after any other looming road maintenance work?
Davis says, not really.
“Because it has been cold, so [things like] striping, asphalt–the asphalt plants are closed for the season,” she explained. “With some of that [work], the temperature is more so the challenge than the snow or rain.”
A good reminder for when a full-city plow is inevitably called this winter: patience is key.
“We have 2000 lane miles to clear, so it can’t all be done at the same time,” Davis said. “Our priorities will always be those arterials and the hills, then we’ll move into the schools and medical routes and then we’ll get to the residential streets.”
Davis added that it’s extra important to drive for the conditions outside, plan ahead if roads are slick, give a ton of extra following distance and drive slowly.
For more information about the city’s winter operations plan, click here.
