SDOT Is Prepared
How We Plan For and Respond to Winter Weather
During a severe storm, our crews work around the clock to clear Seattle’s most critical streets for buses and emergency services. Our goal is to keep Seattle moving safely. Read our readiness and response plan.
Prepare
We prepare for winter storms all year long. Here's how,
We Prepare and Train
In the summer and fall, we prepare, calibrate equipment, coordinate with agency partners, and train staff.
We Maintain
We remove fallen trees from roads and repair signs and signals when high winds or heavy rain are forecasted.
We Stock Supplies
We stock supplies of granular salt and brine so we're ready to pre-treat key streets and bridges to prevent ice from forming.
Monitor
- We monitor reports 24-hours a day with a direct line to the National Weather Service and live Doppler radar feeds.
- We learn how storms could affect neighborhoods using a forecasting tool developed with the University of Washington called SNOWWATCH.
- Ground surface sensors and computerized sensors located on city bridges provide timely and accurate air and street surface temperatures. We use real-time, live-streaming cameras to see actual conditions on key streets.
Treat & Plow
Before Snow Fall
Crews pre-treat key streets and bridges with anti-icer to help prevent ice from forming.
Many Streets to Treat
Seattle has about 1,200 lane-miles of major streets. It can take us up to 12 hours to clear all this ground after a break in the storm.
We Use GPS
Global Positioning System (GPS) tracks the locations of the plows and trucks. This map on our website shows how recently a street has been cleared.
When Snow Falls
Crews continuously plow streets and treat them with salt where needed. We prioritize routes to major institutions like hospitals, schools, and major employers. Non-arterial streets are not plowed.
Communication with local partners
SDOT works in cooperation with State, County, and City agencies including the Washington State Department of Transportation (WSDOT), King County Metro, Sound Transit, Community Transit, and Seattle Public Schools, and other organizations. Managers from these agencies meet each year to plan how they will coordinate their work. During snow and ice events they share information and assist each other.