SPOKANE, Wash. — An additional 38 car crashes were reported overnight in Spokane after record hitting snow blanketed the region on Friday.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney reported that no serious injuries were involved. He also stated that main road conditions have improved but secondary roads are still difficult.
Spokane police responded to over 100 collisions on Friday.
The City of Spokane initiated a full-city plow on Friday as heavy snow continued to fall around the region.
According to City Spokeswoman Marlene Feist, city plows started working on residential streets at 5:30 p.m. on Friday evening. This coincides with the start of the second shift of plow drivers.
The city also placed restrictions on downtown parking from midnight Saturday until 6 a.m. Sunday. Crews will work to clear downtown parking spots during these six hours.
Feist said the full-city plow should take about three days to complete. Additional workers from other city departments assist with the plow and 50 to 60 pieces of equipment are part of the effort.
Crews will work around the clock until streets are cleared, according to Feist. Spokane County crews are also working around the clock to clear roads outside of the city, according to county spokesperson Martha Wheatley-Billeter.
Vehicles should be parked on the odd side of the street and crews will work to avoid leaving berms blocking driveways, Feist said. Berms may happen in front of cars parked on the side of the street.
The City of Spokane Valley stated that snow removal crews began to clear snow in residential areas on Saturday morning while continuing to de-ice and plow arterial roads.
Snow blankets Spokane; full-city plow started
The National Weather Service Spokane says roads are snowy, slushy and slick throughout the area.
A Winter Storm Warning is in effect throughout eastern Washington and North Idaho until 6 a.m. on Saturday.
Four to six inches of snow could fall in Spokane and Coeur d'Alene by Friday night, and up to one foot of snow could fall in areas of North Idaho, according to NWS.
Snow began falling about ten minutes before 9 a.m. in the Spokane, and NWS says it will peak in the afternoon and early evening. Flakes began falling in Republic, Washington, just before 7 a.m. on Friday.
Washington State Patrol Trooper Jeff Sevigney reported multiple crashes at Sunset Hill on westbound I-90 at about 9:15 a.m. The state Department of Transportation stated that one of the crashes is in the right lane, adding that roads are slick.
No one was injured in the crashes on Sunset Hill, Sevigney said.
WSDOT crews have made multiple passes of I-90 on Friday morning and headed out to the Spokane area again just before 10:45 a.m. They are asking drivers to stay a safe distance away from plows and exercise caution.
Crews are also making passes through downtown Spokane, with three trucks deicing in a line. The road is bare and wet, but slush remains, WSDOT said.
WSDOT also reported another crash blocking the right lane of southbound Highway 195 near the I-90 interchange just before 10 a.m.
"We’ll say it again - slow down and drive for conditions. Snow not expected to let up anytime soon. Please use caution on the roads," WSDOT wrote on Twitter.
NWS Spokane is also reporting snow accumulating on Highway 2 near Airway Heights. They added that slick roads are possible, so drivers should reduce their speeds accordingly.
Idaho State Police also tweeted video of a herd of elk running across Highway 53 in Rathdrum on Friday morning. Police have already responded to multiple vehicle versus animal crashes in North Idaho, police said on Twitter.