 Take Winter By Storm
<<Sounds of Helicopter.>> Narrator Says: Whether it was the record flooding. <<Sounds of Snow Plow.>> Narrator Says: Sudden snowfall. <<Sounds of Crews Cleaning Up Debris.>> Narrator Says: Or powerful windstorms, the winter of late 2006 and early 2007 will not soon be forgotten. It presented the King County Department of Transportation (DOT) with many challenges, and taught many lessons. And those lessons are now turning to actions. Not only is the King County Department of Transportation improving communication between its own roads and transit divisions, it’s also teaming up with many outside agencies to ensure that responding to winter weather problems will be faster and more effective. At this year’s 'Take Winter By Storm' event, King County Executive Ron Sims stressed that we must learn from last winter’s experiences. King County Executive Ron Sims Says: We were hit very, very dramatically, and tested as never before with events we have never seen before. More importantly these agencies have turned those lessons into concrete actions, that will serve us well as we approach the next season. There are many new and innovative efforts that each of our agencies have adopted as part of our plan as we head into winter time. Several of the results of the partnership have been forged between us. We're working collaboratively we realize that you can't handle major events by sitting in your silos comfortably or uncomfortably, nonetheless silos are not the place that will allow us to effectively respond to the major events we have seen. We have to work collaboratively. Narrator Says: In December 2006, wind storms toppled trees and scattered tons of debris closing several roads throughout the county, some for days at a time. The Woodinville-Duvall Road, for instance, was closed for five days as county crews tried to clear trees and Puget Sound Energy crews worked to restore downed lines. This year, the two agencies will be working closely with a host of others to reduce repair times and open roads more quickly. Puget Sound Energy's Mary Robinson Says: Puget Sound Energy, with [the] Washington State Department of Transportation, has been leading the effort along with King County Roads, the Washington State Patrol, Thurston County, Pierce County and Kitsap County Roads as well, including Skagit County to develop the Utility Road Clearing Task Force, which is not to add another level of bureaucracy in our system, it's really about ensuring we can share contact information that we can effectively come together and coordinate interagency response to removing trees and downed wire when we have another event like the December wind storm. King County Road Services Division Director Linda Dougherty Says: Well we’re delighted to be working with Puget Sound Energy even more closely in this coming season, what it means for citizens is that they’re going to see a more coordinated effort out there on the street following storms. But, because we’ll be working directly with their crew supervisors to make sure we can be out there clearing the roads, while their crews are coming in behind us, to deal with really restoring power to everybody. Narrator Says: In addition to a coordinated response for road concerns, King County DOT is taking steps to ensure bus routes can keep running when the weather turns for the worse. King County DOT Director Harold Taniguchi recently led an effort to bring several public works directors from across the county together to improve winter travel operations. King County D.O.T. Director Harold Taniguchi Says: Outcomes of that included priority routes for bus routes to make sure the snow is cleared from those routes to make sure the traveling public on the bus has a good chance of getting home making sure the contact numbers are ripe and we have a good protocol to get in touch with each other when bad weather hits and we need to make sure communication is really strong. We've been working with the Washington State Department of Transportation for example, we've got a game plan now when of our buses occasionally get stuck on the interstate, that we have contracts with them and with private towing companies to help move those buses off. And we've also been working with Puget Sound Energy to ensure that when there is a heavy wind and the lines are down and the trees are in the way we have good coordination to make sure that we efficiently and safely remove those trees and get those power lines back up, working in conjunction with the utilities. So, we're not looking forward to the bad weather events, mother nature takes care of that but we certainly believe we're much better prepared this time. Narrator Says: For more information about the ‘Take Winter By Storm’ campaign and to make sure you’re ready for winter, head to govlink.org/storm.
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