City Activates Full-City Plow

Kirstin Davis, Communications Manager, 509.625.7773

Thursday, February 6, 2025 at 9:56 a.m.

City of Spokane Streets Department is activating a Full-City plow. Daytime crews are continuing to clear priority routes of primary and secondary arterials and will begin plowing residential areas as the arterials are completed. The nightshift crews will continue in the residential local-access streets.

Under Full-City plow operations, crews will work 24 hours a day, 7 days a week until they plow all streets within the City. Additional personnel from the City’s Water and Wastewater departments will be part of Full-City plowing efforts. Under the City’s snow response plan, a Full-City plow reaching all 2,200 lane miles of streets should take about three days to complete when snow stops falling, the timing is dependent on weather conditions.

“Crews have been focusing on the primary and secondary arterials over the last couple of days, and with the overnight heavier snowfall along with forecasted low temperatures, we will move teams into the residential areas to improve driving conditions,” says Street Director Clint Harris.

The community is reminded that snow response priority starts with arterials and hills with secondary routes including schools and hospitals following and then working in residential areas. These routes often include applying materials such as sand and deicer. The Streets Department has four designated material sites around the City reducing the amount of time it takes for drivers to replenish their supplies and get back on course. The order for plowing residential routes will be posted on the City’s web site; this page also includes the City’s plow map, which will be updated with the progress of the plows once it is activated. The City’s residential plow route map shows the routes.

Plow teams in residential areas will use snow gates to reduce berms at the end of driveways as much as possible. The City has 19 pieces of equipment outfitted with those gates. Crews will work to plow snow away from the curb to help keep snow away from sidewalks. Snow also may be pushed to center medians in some cases.

When driving in these wintry conditions, the City is asking motorists to slow down, be patient, and drive according to the conditions. Don't follow plows closely, and please do not try to pass plow trucks; it is very dangerous.

A reminder of how the community can help:

  • Vehicles should be parked on the odd side of the street in residential areas to assist plows. Berms are likely in front of cars, even those parked on the odd side of the street. The parking restrictions are intended to allow plow drivers to do a better job of clearing snow in neighborhoods and to complete their work more efficiently.
  • The City asks residents and businesses to clear a 36-inch pedestrian path on sidewalks. Please assist your neighbors who may need help removing snow from their driveways and sidewalks. 
  • Don’t blow or shovel snow into the street, but back into your yard. 
  • Clear snow off parked cars to allow plow drivers to see them better.
  • Consider clearing snow and ice around mailboxes and storm drains.
  • Downed trees and large limbs in the right of way should be reported to 311.