SPOKANE, Wash. — Spokane launched a full-city plow on Wednesday as a snowstorm slammed the region.
The City of Spokane launches the effort when there is at least four inches of snow on the ground. A record-breaking 8.1 inches of snow fell at the Spokane International Airport on Wednesday, according to the National Weather Service.
City of Spokane crews will work 24 hours a day, seven days a week until they plow all streets. Additional crews from water and wastewater departments will also be part of full-city plowing efforts, with more than 50 pieces of equipment expected to be out working, spokesperson Marlene Feist said in a press release.
A full-city plow should take about three days to complete but additional snow could extend the time, Feist said.
Crews began by plowing major roads before moving to residential areas at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesday starting in hill areas.
The city has also a snowplow progress map available to view on its website. The green lines on the map mean snow removal status is complete, blue lines mean "working," red lines mean "next" and magenta lines mean "working/monitoring."
A map showing the plowing routes for residential areas in the City of Spokane is also available online.
The following is a list of maps to check plow progress in areas outside of the City of Spokane:
Driveway berms and sidewalk snow in Spokane
The City of Spokane's Street Department has outfitted 17 pieces of equipment with gates that allow plow drivers to avoid placing snow across driveways or alley access points.
These gates reduce driveway berms in residential areas, but they are still possible, especially on main roads that are frequently plowed.
Crews will plow away from the curb to help keep snow away from driveways and sidewalks. Snow may also be pushed to the center medians in some cases.
Parking in Spokane
Spokane residents are asked to park on the odd side of the street in residential areas for the snow season, which runs through March 15.
Recreational vehicles, boats and trailers must be moved off the street to winter storage locations. These
Announcements will be made to prohibit on-street parking in downtown Spokane from midnight to 6 a.m. when it snows, so parking bays can be plowed out.
Signs are installed in the downtown area, indicating this rule within the boundaries of Maple to Division and I-90 to the Spokane River. Vehicles parked during prohibited times are subject to towing.
Snow removal hotlines
Here is a list of snow removal hotlines in the Inland Northwest:
- Spokane: 311
- Spokane County: 509-477-2666.
- Coeur d'Alene: 208-769-22-33
Sidewalks
Property owners remain responsible for clearing the sidewalk adjacent to their properties. The city is asking citizens to clear a 36-inch path to allow people with disabilities, bus riders and other pedestrians to move safety through the community. The goal is to complete that work by 9 a.m. after a snowfall.
The City of Spokane will remove sidewalk snow adjacent to its properties, too.
Seniors or disabled individuals can call 311 to help get connected with volunteer services that may be able to help them with snow shoveling.