When it snows, they plow

COLUMBIA BASIN — With the first snow falling in the Columbia Basin, people may be wondering when their road will be plowed.

The following are the policies for Grant County and cities and towns:

Grant County

Grant County crews start plowing during normal business hours once the snow starts falling. The crews begin work with priorities being major arterials, minor arterials with steep grades, minor arterials. Once done, they move onto plowing rural and local access connectors and dead-end rural and local access roads.

The county doesn’t plow gravel roads unless the snow is six inches deep. Emergency bus routes are a priority while school is in session.

County crews don’t plow after normal working hours, on weekends or holidays until there are three inches of snow. Otherwise they will start plowing as early as 6 a.m. the next business day. If there are high winds or blizzard conditions and drifting snow, they start plowing when the wind subsides.

Crews apply sand to intersections, steep grades and sharp curves once the snow stops falling. The county calls out crews to sand major arterials when there is more than one-eighth inch of freezing rain on the roads.

County equipment won’t extract stuck private vehicles except when a person needs immediate medical attention, or someone is exposed to severe weather without assistance.

Private lanes aren’t plowed.

For more information, contact Grant County Public Works at 509-754-6082

Ephrata

The city plows the main hills and primary streets first. Crews remove the snow from the center of Basin Street. Depending on the depth, the city plows residential streets.

The city’s plows start at the center of the street, so each side has the same amount of snow on it, according to city staff.

City staff advise people to slow down and allow extra time to get where they need to go.

People putting snow from their property into the street could be subject to a $1,000 fine. City staff stated putting snow into the street can slow down snow removal and creates a hazard for emergency crews and drivers.

For more information, contact Ephrata City Hall at 509-754-4601.

Moses Lake

Moses Lake crews start plowing after two inches of snow falls on arterial roads and four inches in residential areas.  Depending on the weather, they also apply chemicals to break up ice.

Crews plow the arterial roads and later work on residential streets. It generally takes about 48 hours to plow residential areas.

City staff ask people to park their vehicles off of the road until the road is plowed.

Crews continue to monitor intersections for ice and snow build up. The city applies deicer at the intersections, if they become dangerous.

On most streets, crews plow from the center of the street toward the sides. On Third Avenue and Broadway Avenue, crews plow towards the center of the street and pick up the snow afterwards.

City staff asks residents to not plow into the street, because it can get compacted and turn into ice.

For more information, contact Moses Lake City Hall at 509-766-9201.

Othello

Crews start plowing the streets after two inches of snow accumulates. They start plowing on arterials and bus routes, before working on residential streets. Crews usually finish the entire city in about 8 to 10 hours.

For more information, call 509-488-5686.

Quincy

The city starts plowing emergency routes first, followed by school bus routes, downtown and primary routes, then avenues and finishes with residential areas. According to the city’s ordinance on snow removal, the city opens roads for two lane traffic first.

Crews generally work between 5 a.m. to 5 p.m. The city’s maintenance supervisor decides if plowing the roads is necessary, according to city records. Once the plowing is finished, intersections, hills and curves may have salt, sand or other abrasive materials placed on them.

People need to clean sidewalks in front of their homes within 24 hours of a storm. The city requires the snow not be placed in the street. People placing snow on the street will be charged a penalty and asked to remove the snow within 24 hours. If they don’t, they also will be charged the cost of having the city remove the snow.

For more information, call 509-787-4131.

Soap Lake

City crews start with main streets and then work on the residential areas when there is snow. They keep plowing until the work is done.

The city ordinances direct residents to keep the sidewalks in front of their houses clear of snow. If they don’t, the resident could be fined.

If the city removes the snow, it is at the owner’s expense, according to the ordinance. The charge will be due on the next water bill or within 30 days depending on whether the resident has a water bill during that time.

For more information, call 509-246-1211.

Warden

City Administrator Mike Thompson said the city doesn’t have an official policy, but they generally start plowing at about 5 a.m. if the snow falls during the night.

Usually crews can clear the entire town within six to eight hours, he said. They start on main streets and bus routes, and finish in residential areas. Once they finish plowing the streets, the city applies sand and deicer to steep hills and intersections.

“I usually have one public works guy who’s on call,” he said. “Usually, he gets up at about three or four o’clock in the morning and if there’s snow, he’ll call the other guy.”

The city staff asks local businesses to keep their sidewalks clear in front of their business, he said.

For more information, call 509-349-2326.

Wilson Creek

Mayor Kathy Bohnet said the city plows as needed. While they don’t have a set policy, she said city crews start on the main roads and clear the streets around the school.

“Keeping the route for buses open is a priority,” she said.

The city has a plow truck, which also puts down sand on the roads. The county handles the access roads for the city and the state handles the highways, she said.

For more information, call 509-345-2351.