Week of Dec. 1, 2008

Crews prep for snow and ice as December arrives

Road crews prevent snow and ice from getting a foothold with environmentally-friendly anti-icing liquid.

In heavy weather, most of the heavy duty falls on the department’s Road Services and Metro Transit divisions. By the time the season’s first snow is forecast, both divisions have already done a great deal of advance preparation and are primed to put their plans into action to keep the traveling public safe.

“Our primary goal is to reduce the threat to public safety during snow storms, and to make every effort to maintain as near normal driving conditions as possible,” said Tony Ledbetter, the Road Division maintenance superintendent who supervises all the crews removing snow and ice from county roads.

For Ledbetter and his crews, it starts with preemptive work. The county has nine anti-icer trucks that spray roads before a storm to prevent snow and ice from getting too much of a foothold. The anti-icer breaks the bond between the road and the fresh snow, making it easier for the plows to scrape off. It works best if it is applied when the weather is cold, but still dry. The low quantity of anti-icer the county uses is not harmful to the environment, and contains a rust inhibitor to help prevent damage to vehicles and bridges on the road.

If crews can at least get the anti-icer on the hills and the sharp corners, it saves a lot of time for the snowplows when the storm hits. This year, the Road Division hopes to be more prepared than ever by increasing the amount of anti-icing materials and equipment, and staging them in more locations around the county. Ledbetter said that allows for faster responses and more efficient operations.

Once the storm arrives, county crews prioritize which roads to clear first based on a variety of factors. The first priorities are major arterials, Metro and school bus routes, emergency routes, as well as access roads to freeways and park-and-ride lots.

King County Metro Transit also does a fair amount of preparation to winterize its buses and train operations staff, but the real test arrives with the snowfall. In 2006, the transit agency was faced with two storms that featured the worst-case scenario – the snow started to fall during the afternoon rush hour.

“It’s extremely difficult to put chains on buses at the height of the commute when all 1,300 are out on the road,” said Nancy Wilson, supervisor of the Transit Control Center. “If it snows in the middle of the night or middle of the day, we can quickly respond. But once our buses leave the base, it makes it much more challenging.”

Wilson says lessons learned during the storms two years ago have helped the agency tighten up its adverse weather plan, and improve internal and external communication.

A Vehicle Maintenance worker chains up a Metro bus.

When snow is in the forecast, Metro kicks off its adverse-weather alert system and prepares to chain buses as necessary. When travel becomes dangerous, the agency puts buses on snow routing to bypass hazardous and hilly streets. Since weather and travel conditions are so variable in a county the size of ours, it can mean that the bus will need chains on one part of its routing even though the streets are dry on other sections of the route.

Because weather and road conditions can change quickly, it is hard to predict in advance of the storm which buses will be rerouted and if schedules will be delayed. If regular vehicle travel in your area is impacted by snow and ice, or is in hilly areas, expect buses to be on snow reroutes.

The public is also encouraged to prepare now for the bad weather ahead. Here are just a few tips for traveling in King County when there is snow and ice on the roads:

• Allow ample time to reach your destination either by car or bus;

• If you’re driving, equip your vehicle with all-season tires and carry tire chains;

• Use caution when following a snowplow or sander by allowing at least two car lengths distance;

• If you must abandon your vehicle, park it clear of travel lanes to allow other vehicles – especially snowplows – to get through. Cars left in travel lanes may be towed and impounded;

• Dress for the weather in case you become stranded and have to walk;

• If you’re riding the bus, check timetables ahead of time for routes serving your area and the adverse weather information for those routes. Metro may have to switch to snow routes in some locations with little notice;

• Be patient. Buses are not always on schedule in snowy or icy conditions. And, increased ridership during bad weather can result in crowded buses and a longer-than-usual wait on the phone for the Customer Information Office;

• Dress warmly for the walk to the bus stop and possible delays, and wear appropriate footwear for the weather;

• Head for bus stops on main arterials or at major transfer points such as malls, colleges, park-and-ride lots, or transit centers; and

• Riders should wait at bus stops at the very top or very bottom of hills, because buses are often unable to stop for passengers on inclines.

The best tip is to stay on top of changing conditions through the local media or online information. Transit customers can find bus reroute information on Metro Online, or by calling the Customer Information Office at (206) 553-3000. The Road Services Division also posts its road closure information online.

The information exchange flows both ways. In unincorporated areas of King County, the Road Division encourages county residents to report hazardous roadways 24 hours a day by calling (206) 296-8100, or toll-free at 1-800 KC ROADS.

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