SPOKANE, Wash. – Before the upcoming winter storm hits the Inland Northwest, the City of Spokane Streets Department is fine-tuning preparations for the estimated 10 inches of snowfall.
According to the National Weather Service, most of eastern Washington is currently under a winter weather warning, and five to ten inches of snow are forecast by Thursday morning.
The City of Spokane monitors weather conditions 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If a full-city plow is enacted, it will take approximately three days from the time it’s initiated to when snow is forecasted to stop to complete. Priorities are arterials, hills, hospitals and school routes. If snow continues, crews will return to arterials and hills, focusing on keeping them clear before they move to residential areas.
Visit the residential snow-plow route to find out when snow plows will be in your area during a full-city plow. If snowfall is too heavy and crews cannot effectively plow all major arterial routes, the Snow Corridor Plan will be enacted.
Here’s what the City of Spokane said the community can do to prepare for snowfall:
If you can move your car off the street, that is best. If not, move vehicles to the odd-numbered side of the street or make alternative parking arrangements.Move your recreational vehicle, boat, trailer and basketball hoops off the street. This will give plows the maximum space to clear snow for traffic and emergency response vehicles.Make sure you have adequate snow removal equipment. Use salt, sand, or deicer as needed.The City recommends that if you live near a school or bus stop, help students by clearing a path for them.Talk with neighbors. Make sure you know who might need help clearing snow.Allow for extra time for your commute. The City of Spokane recommends adding an extra 30+ minutes to get to your destination, especially during high-traffic times.Use flexible commute options. If possible, work from home or avoid high traffic times. There are many STA park and ride lots located throughout the city. Learn more on the STA’s website.
For more information on City resources during winter storms, visit the following links:
Street Department snow removal websiteFollow the City of Spokane on social mediaSpokane Public SchoolsSpokane Regional Transportation Management Center Avista power outage map
