Inside the System That Keeps Roads Clear During Winter Storms in Washington

With winter weather shifting quickly, road conditions can change just as fast — and city, county, and state crews stay on constant standby to keep routes open. Here’s a quick look at how road crews typically tackle snow and ice across the region.

Which roads get plowed first?
Emergency routes come first — things like ambulance access, fires, and power outages. After that, crews move to major roads and main travel corridors. High-volume local streets follow, with neighborhood and low-traffic roads after that. Low-volume gravel roads are usually last.

When do crews work?
Some agencies staff crews around-the-clock during storms. Others start early, usually around 5 a.m. Evening, weekend, and holiday callouts happen only when conditions demand it. In active storms, the focus stays on main roads until crews can safely work outward.

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Pretreatment and sanding
Before a storm hits, crews often apply de-icer to help prevent ice. Lower-priority roads are sanded only when conditions get especially slick.

Snow removal goals
After a typical storm, crews aim to make major roads passable first, then secondary routes, and finally neighborhood streets. Timing can vary depending on the severity of the storm — main arterials sometimes need to be cleared multiple times.

Reminders for residents
Don’t park along roads during storms; you risk being plowed in or even towed. Don’t push snow back into the roadway — it’s illegal and unsafe. Driveway berms are unavoidable and are the homeowner’s responsibility. Mailboxes are only reimbursed if a plow physically hits them, not from snow throw. And garbage cans should be placed at least 10 feet back from the road.

Crews work hard to keep roads open in winter weather, and officials say patience, slow driving, and keeping rights-of-way clear help everyone stay safe.