 When fleeing flooding, follow the signs
Narrator Says: It’ll be a matter of following the signs if and when flood waters threaten the safety of Green River Valley residents this fall and winter. This area of King County doesn’t typically see much flooding, but seepage from a bank near Howard Hanson Dam has raised flooding concerns, should the valley see prolonged heavy rain. Today, the county began installing evacuation signs on key roads in unincorporated areas. Once the signs are in place, residents are urged to take some time to familiarize themselves with posted routes near their homes, and identify more than one evacuation route. King County DOT Director Harold Taniguchi Says: This is one of several pieces underway; to make sure we have a smooth evacuation process if it's necessary. Making sure the residents know how to get in an out, mainly out, when the time calls for it. Narrator Says: The King County Road Services division will be installing 27 of the blue and white signs with directional arrows along 11 roads in unincorporated areas. Remember that no flooded road is safe, and motorists should never drive around road closure signs. This is the leading cause of drowning during floods. King County Road Services Division Director Linda Dougherty Says: [The point] is to let people know what routes will lead them up out of the valley and away from the flood hazard at the time it occurs. as you probably know there are a lot of folks who visit the valley every day, either for personal or business reasons, who may not be as familiar with a lot of the arterials or the alternatives they have for leaving the valley. so an important function of the evacuation routes signage is to help them understand where they can go to get away from flood waters. Narrator Says: Contingency planning is also underway to identify what impacts flooding might have on Metro bus service in the Green River Valley. Metro has revised bus service plans for about 30 regular routes in the event that flooding impacts service. Still, riders are encouraged to develop back-up travel plans as part of their pre-flood planning. A map of evacuation routes in the Green River Valley is available on the Road Services division home page.
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