County roads getting their winter groove

By Pat Jenkins
The Dispatch
How rough the weather gets this winter is anybody’s guess.
But when it comes to driving in the stuff, Pierce County road crews promise to do their best to take any guesswork out of the equation.
Crews last week had their annual pre-season training for winter road maintenance. At the county’s central maintenance shop in Spanaway, they checked their equipment for fighting snow and ice and drove their snow plow routes on Oct. 27. They also boned up on slick-road response plans and some of the nitty-gritty of keeping roadways clear, including practicing their chainsaw skills for handling the invevitable downed trees or branches.
“While it’s unclear how severe winter weather will be this year, our road crews will be,” said Bruce Wagner, operations manager for the county Planning and Public Department.
The county maintains 3,235 lane miles of roadway. Not all of them get equal treatment when it comes to snow and ice. Approximately half of the roadways (1,521 lane miles) are key arterials that connect residential areas to service centers and state highways. Because of their connections, it’s the arterials that get the most attention, although the level of service during winter weather is determined by several factors, including weather conditions and available resources.
“Our priorities during a snow and ice event are key arterials, as well as Pierce Transit and school bus snow routes,” Wagner said. “If you can get out of your neighborhood and reach a major road, you will likely find a drivable road.”
When a severe winter storm is forecast, county crews will apply anti-icing material to key arterials. If heavy snowfall affects roads countywide, plows with de-icing materials could be in action 24-hours a day until conditions improve, officials said.
Winter officially starts Dec. 21. Long-range weather forecasts for the season range from wetter-than-normal to dry but colder than usual conditions in western Washington, with snow a factor as early as December and after Jan. 1. The prognosticators include the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and Farmer’s Almanac.

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