Snow and Ice on Public Right of Way

Contents

• Introduction
• Parking Regulations for Snow Removal
• Removal of Snow from Sidewalks
• Snow Routes - Detours
• Application of Deicers
• Policies and Procedures
• Additional References

Introduction

This page provides sample city and county provisions relating to the removal of snow on the right-of-way. It includes the duty of property owners to remove snow and ice from sidewalks, parking restrictions for snow clearing operations, policies, examples of snow routes, articles on the use of deicers, and links to other information sources on snow and ice removal.

Parking Regulations for Snow Removal

• Cheney Municipal Code Sec. 11.48.070 - Snow Removal and Sec. 11.48.090 - Period of Heavy Snowfall-Police removal of unlawfully parked vehicles
• East Wenatchee Municipal Code Sec. 10.08.030 - Parking - Snow Removal
• Moses Lake Municipal Code Ch. 10.14 () - Snow Emergency - Towing Unauthorized Vehicles
• Puyallup Municipal Code Sec. 11.08.100 - Roadway maintenance - Provides authority to remove vehicles for snow removal
• Walla Walla Municipal Code Ch. 10.23 - Snow Emergency Regulations - Includes towing of immobilized vehicles
• Wenatchee Municipal Code Sec. 6B.06.130 - Winter Months - Restricted Parking.

Removal of Snow from Sidewalks

• Cheney Municipal Code Ch. 12.32 - Snow Removal
• Cheney Municipal Code Sec. 9A.10.020 (C) - Additional Exempted Acts - Snow blower noise exemption when 2 or more inches of snow fall
• Colville Municipal Code Ch. 12.12 - Dumping Snow in Streets
• East Wenatchee Municipal Code Ch. 12.08 - Snow and Ice removal
• Everett Municipal Code Sec. 13.08.020 - Sidewalk maintenance - snow and ice to be removed by noon.
• Moses Lake Municipal Code Ch. 12.20 () - Sidewalk Service - Includes snow removal
• Seattle Municipal Code Sec. 15.48.010 - Snow and Ice Removal
• Yakima Municipal Code Ch. 8.88 - Snow and Ice Removal

Snow Routes - Detours

• King County Snow and Ice Plan
  • King County Municipal Code Ch. 14.48 () - Snow Emergency Route
• Seattle’s Winter Weather Readiness and Response Plan
• Whatcom County Snow Routes

Application of Deicers

• King County 2009 Stormwater Pollution Prevention Manual Activity Sheet A-40 Street Deicing Operations ()
• Guidelines for the Selection of Snow and Ice Control Materials to Mitigate Environmental Impacts. NCHRP Report 577, Transportation Research Board, National Cooperative Highway Research Program, 2007
• Ice School, by David C. Richardson, Stormwater, January/February 2012 - Melding the science of craft of winter road maintenance
• Road Salt Application and Storage, Stormwater Menu of BMPs, NPDES U.S. Environmental Protection Agency
• Salt Institute
  • Road Salt - Issues in Focus
  • Winter Road Safety - Uses and Benefits

Policies and Procedures

• Pierce County Transportation Road Operations Division Snow and Ice Control Plan ()
• Port Angeles Snow Removal Procedures
• Port Townsend Snow Removal Policy ()
• Pullman Resolution No. R-92-08 () - Authorizes the director of public works to declare a snow emergency when deemed advisable for the purpose of ensuring the passage of vehicles on city streets, passed 11/19/2008
• Spokane Snow and Ice Control (), Policy and Procedure 1100-08-02, effective 03/06/08
• Stevens County Public Works Department Winter Maintenance Policy
• Walla Walla Public Works Department Street Division Snow Plowing Policy (), updated 12/2011 - Includes Snow Plowing Instructions
• Washington Department of Transportation, Maintenance Manual Ch. 7 Snow and Ice Control ()

Additional References

• Getting the Drift, by Bruce Florquist, American City and County, September 2006
• Ice Alert, Blue Star Specialty Products
• Never Underestimate the Power of PR! Public Relations for Winter Operations, by Alan L. Gesford, P.E. APWA Reporter, October 2006
• Pacific Northwest Snowfighters, Transportation agencies within the states of Washington, Oregon, Montana and Idaho and the province of British Columbia - PNS mission is to provide specifications for the highest quality products balancing quality of environment with providing the safest possible transportation system and maximum mobility for the traveling public during snow and ice conditions, within reasonable budgetary, product performance and environmental constraints.
• Snow and Ice, Federal Highway Administration Road Weather Management Program
• WSDOT Snow and Ice Control, Washington State Department of Transportation
• Collections
  • APWA Bookstore Publications on Winter Maintenance
  • Transportation Research Board Publications Index - Search snow and ice