City Street Department Outlines Winter Operations

City Street Department Outlines Winter Operations

Kirstin Davis, Communications Manager, [email protected]

Thursday, October 30, 2025 at 1:37 p.m.

City of Spokane Public Works officials today outlined snow response operations plans for this year's winter weather. Street Department winter operations start Nov. 15 and continue through March 15.

The Street Department is staffed and will deliver on the snow response plan providing flexibility for changing conditions with satellite materials stations located in the four corners of the City to maintain 2,100 lane miles. The community is urged to take time now and be ready for winter weather.

"Maintaining transportation for the community during the winter months requires a partnership between City operations and the community," says Clint Harris, the City's Street Director. "As we continue to make operational improvements, we appreciate the work residents, businesses, and our partners do to be prepared and keep areas clear during the winter."

Here's what to expect:

• Weather conditions are monitored 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
• Priorities are arterials, hills, hospitals and school routes
• Materials are located throughout the City for flexibility and responsiveness
• Full-City plow during heavier snowfalls will take about 3 days
• Snow gates are used to reduce snow berms in residential areas, arterial plowing does not use gates
• Crews work to keep snow away from sidewalks when possible

Here is how the community can help:

• Move your recreational vehicle, boat or trailer, and basketball hoops off the street and to a winter storage location for snow season. As a reminder, RVs, boats, and trailers cannot exceed 24 hours of continuous on-street parking, according to Spokane Municipal Code (16A.61.562B).
• Make sure you have adequate snow shovels or a working snow blower. Consider buying some salt or sand for traction
• Arrange for service with a snow removal company now if you don't want to shovel yourself
• Plan where to park throughout the snow season to make room for large equipment to clear the street. Residents are asked to park on the odd-numbered side of the street during snow season to leave a maximum amount of room for plows and first responders
• On garbage collection days, do your best to get your carts out of the street once they are emptied.
• Know what residential snow-plow route you live in to make it easier to track the progress of plows, during full-city plow operations
• Talk to your neighbors. Make sure you know who in your neighborhood might need help with shoveling or other winter work and offer to help

Be in the Know - Communication resources to receive current information:

• Look for the Snow Response Plan in the November utility bill
• Street Department snow removal website
• Follow @spokanecity on Facebook and X
• Spokane Transit Authority for bus route alerts and detour information
• Review the Spokane Public Schools inclement weather procedures
• Spokane Regional Transportation Management Center cameras
• Avista power outage map

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