Winter arrives in the Basin. How now snow plow?

EPHRATA — With the arrival of winter conditions on Columbia Basin roadways, law enforcement and public works officials for Grant County and the cities of Ephrata and Soap Lake are encouraging motorists to take extra time and slow down when traveling.

Below are their long-standing policies and priorities:

CITY OF EPHRATA

– Crews won’t plow unless there is 2 or more inches of accumulated snow. Plowing starts when the snowfall stops.

– Plowing the hills on East Division Street, Nat Washington Way, and First Avenue N.W., then main arterial streets to provide clear surfaces for emergency vehicles and equipment, school buses, and general traffic.

– In the downtown business district, state Department of Transportation crews will plow snow to the center of Basin Street/Highway 28 between Seventh Avenue N.W. and 18th Avenue S.W., but to the curbs elsewhere. City crews are expected to remove snow from the center of Basin Street within 48 hours of a snow “event."

– On other minor collector and residential streets, streets will be cleared as time and conditions permit. Snow will be plowed from the center of the streets to the curbs, except when it may be practical to plow one way.

– Property owners are reminded they are not permitted to shovel, push, or deposit snow onto city streets. Violators may face a fine.

CITY OF SOAP LAKE

– City crews will not be called out after normal work hours, or on weekends, holidays, or during high wind/drifting snow conditions to remove accumulations less than 3 inches.

– Sanding is limited to intersections, steep grades and sharp curves. The sand will not be applied until snow stops falling.

– Plowing/sanding priorities are: major arterials, minor arterials with steep grades, other arterials and local access roads last. Roads that have been identified as an emergency school bus route will receive priority status when school is in session.

– City equipment will not be used to help stuck private vehicles except in emergency situations. Private lanes and driveways will not be plowed, per Washington law. City code directs residents and businesses to keep adjacent sidewalks clear of snow and ice, but does not permit them to shovel or push snow into the street.

– Violators who dump snow on a city right-of-way or public highway, and people who interfere with city snow plows can be fined.

GRANT COUNTY

– Clearing of arterials and major and minor collectors will be the first priority, followed by higher volume local access roads, lower volume minor collectors and local access roads, oil-treated roads with average daily traffic less than 500 and gravel roads with an ADT greater than 100, and lastly gravel or unsurfaced roads with an ADT less than 100.

– Emergencies such as power outages, fire and ambulance calls, or vehicle accidents make take precedence over other routine maintenance efforts.
Road crews will work eight-hour weekday shifts, generally starting between 5-6 a.m. following an overnight storm. Callouts for after-hours, weekends, or holidays will be based on need determined by supervisory personnel. Supervisors will also contact with area school districts regarding road conditions, snow removal processes, and school schedule changes.

– Sanding operations will focus on snow-packed major arterials, controlled intersections, curves and hills, and conditions of black ice or freezing rain.

– The county’s public works department will replace rural residents’ properly placed mailboxes if they are struck by snow removal equipment, but won’t be reponsible for damaged turf, landscaping or fences. Crews will not clear private driveways of snow deposited during plowing.

– Residents should place their garbage cans in driveways at least 10 feet away from the roadway shoulder.