The White Salmon City Council and city staff, with the adoption of the Policy/Plan, establishes a high priority for maintaining safe traffic flow within the community during winter months.
The chief goal of the plan is to provide passable roadways for emergency services and an adequate flow of traffic in the City of White Salmon during conditions of snow and ice, balanced by available manpower and equipment.
General policy
The public may be asked to remove their vehicles from the streets that are to be plowed to improve the effectiveness of plowing, plow time, and street drainage conditions. It is very important to the success of this Snow Removal Policy/Plan that all citizens of the community be aware of the need for alternatives to parking on streets while snow removal is on-going.
By Municipal Code, sidewalks in the community are the responsibility of the adjacent property owners. Special attention should be given by the adjacent property owners to sidewalk wheelchair ramps, as it presents an extreme hazard to pedestrians during icy or snowy weather.
Work schedule
Generally, the street snow plowing will begin when the snow depth reaches 5-inches of accumulated depth. If snow fall is less than 5-inches but more than 3-inches, it may be necessary to remove slush at times during periods of rapid melting. Decisions to remove this snow will be evaluated on a case by case basis.
Generally, normal work shift for snow removal crew will occur between 6 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Normally, sanding will be conducted from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. by scheduling two separate sanding crews when necessary.
This policy/plan recognizes the responsibility of the Washington State Department of Transportation to snow plow and sand SR 141 (Jewett Blvd.) through the City of White Salmon.
Implementations
Priority 1 – Emergency Service Routes
When snow and/or ice removal is necessary, the first priority will be to open emergency service routes for ambulance dispatch, fire dispatch, police dispatch and to open all “arterial” streets with the application of de-icer, snow removal and/or sanding. This will provide for a uniform, open street grid throughout the city. Emergency service routes include Skyline Dr, Estes Ave, Main Ave, Wauna Ave, Snohomish Ave, perimeter streets around Whiston Elementary School and Jewett Blvd.
Priority 2 – Residential Streets
The second objective will be the loop around Lincoln Ave, El Camino Real and Spring St., including Country View, as well as residential streets traveling east/west between Spring and Jewett Blvd. and Jewett Blvd. to Oak/ North-South streets in the same area. Additionally, Buck Creek Road to Diversion Head Works.
Priority 3 – Residential Streets
And the third objective will be residential streets requiring continuous maintenance including NW Cherry, NW Spring, NW Country View, NW Academy, Waubish and other steep hill streets. These streets will not be plowed if vehicles or other obstructions prevent the safe operation of equipment.
Downtown Business District: During heavy snowfall conditions, it may be necessary to place the snow in the center of Jewett Blvd. allowing better parking, storm runoff, pedestrian traffic and snow removal. If more heavy snow is expected, or if special parking conditions create a hazard, the snow wind-row may have to be removed and trucked to a snow dump site.
Alleys/ Private Roads/ Private Driveways: Due to the risk of damage to private property, the Public Works Department will not plow private roads and alley-ways outside of the downtown business district.
School Bus Routes: Within the city limit, school bus routes will be addressed.
Blockages: Blockages to driveways, parked cars, walkways, etc., that result from snow plowing of streets are the responsibility of the individual property owner.
The Department of Public Works will work closely with the Police Department to respond to streets and/or areas determined to be hazardous. Other emergencies which occur concurrently with a snow emergency will be prioritized and addressed to maximize public health and safety.
For further questions, contact Erika Castro Guzman, associate planner at White Salmon’s City Hall, 509-493-1133 x209 or Erikac@ci.white-salmon.wa.us.
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