SPOKANE, Wash. — On November 15, the city of Spokane began their snow season operations. That means having snow plows ready to go at a moment's notice and keeping stations stocked with snow fighting equipment.
"We've really fine tuned this snow response plan over the years. And we've got it about as efficient and as well run as we can get it," said Kirstin Davis, Spokane communications manager for public works.
Davis said once it begins snowing, people will see city plows work on main arterials first. Plows could go over the same road multiple times.
She said, "It's really about adjusting and making sure that we're flexible enough to respond at a moment's notice. But at the same time that we have, we're being efficient, and we're taking care of things, even when it's not snowing."
Procedures are similar in Coeur d'Alene.
"Right now, we have four sanders, four icers, seven dump trucks and eight machines that are all on the front line, ready to go," Coeur d'Alene Director of Streets Todd Feusier said.
Like Spokane, once four inches of snow falls, Coeur d'Alene crews will begin 24 hour operations to clear streets.
"Once there's a snow storm, we start 24 hours," Feusier said. "So we will work four to four for days, and then 4 p.m. to 4am for nights. So, around the clock coverage."
With the potential of several inches of snow this weekend and next week, there could be a possibility of a full city plow in both Spokane and Coeur d'Alene. Four inches of snow must fall throughout the day or in back to back storms for a full city plow to activate.
"It's really situationally based. So, sometimes it's not four inches, but it's heavy because it's wet, and people can't get through it. So, we need to get out and clear those streets that way," Davis said.
The city of Spokane and Coeur d'Alene want people to remember to drive slow and give plows a lot of space.
Davis says there is a silver lining with the late snow this season. The city of Spokane has used this winter to fill more than 600 pot holes in the city.
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