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City declares Stage 2 snow event

Full city plow begins

Julie Happy, Communications Manger, Neighborhood and Business Services, 509.625.7773

Sunday, December 25, 2016 at 11:13 a.m.

Heavy snow falling in Spokane caused the City to declare a Stage 2 snow event that initiates a full-city plow.

City crews worked throughout the night to prepare streets ahead of the continued snowfall. With 6 inches of snow on the ground and more anticipated during the same storm, additional crews were called in to remove snow ahead of the continued snowfall this morning. The city has more than 2,200 lane miles, including 760 principal, major, and collector/secondary arterial lane miles.

Snow emergency routes, which include principal arterials, major arterials, major hills and some transit routes, will be the initial focus. Resources have already been added to the residential hill routes as part of the Stage 1 snow event. A full-city plow takes approximately 4 days to complete and can be monitored on the snow removal progress map.

A Stage Two Snow Event is declared when:

Six inches of snow are on the ground and more is anticipated during the current snow event. This declaration triggers a number of actions.

The City will:

  • Notify citizens of the snow event.
  • Immediately embark on a full-city plow
  • Bring in additional crews
  • Be ready to implement the “Snow Corridor Plan” if weather conditions severely restrict the City’s ability to keep up with the snowfall
  • Clear sidewalks around priority City-owned property within 24 hours

Citizens are asked to:

  • Move parked cars off all arterials and fixed STA bus routes within 6 hours
  • Move vehicles off downtown street parking spaces between 2 a.m. and 6 a.m.
  • Move parked cars on all residential streets and residential hill routes to the EVEN side of the street within 6 hours
  • Clear snow off vehicles parked along the street
  • Clear snow from around curb ramps, fire hydrants, storm drains, and mail boxes
  • Clear sidewalks of snow within 24 hours

Further snow information: