Marchione Administration proposes Winter Storm Event program

This neighborhood sidewalk was cleaned a few days after this story was published. Many thanks go to the Mayor and the Public Works crew for their help. Next storm we'll have NO sand to sweep!

Updated, 4/8: If you happened to be driving on Snoqualamie Pass last Thursday night (Spring season!) you'd have experienced treacherous driving conditions from wet snowfall. A car glanced off mine coming down a ramp; and we were directly behind another car that was sliding like a snake down the road all over the highway for a quarter mile.

Thus, I appreciated, all the more, Public Works Director, Bill Campbell's Winter Storm Event Preparedness talk to Council last week. Many neighbors commented here and to the Mayor during of their troubles in the 2008 winter storm. The Administration, led by Mr. Campbell has come up with the following solutions:

• The City will stop using abrasives (sand) since they are expensive and difficult to clean up. Abrasive suspensions wash into our salmon streams and harm the environment. They are sidewalk slip-hazards.
• The City will replace sand abrasives with an anti-icing agent called "GeoMelt". When GeoMelt is applied in advance of snowfall, it is effective in preventing an ice layer underneath the snow.
• GeoMelt is a sticky sugar beet - brine suspension applied from an 850 gallon tank truck. It will last 3-7 days without rain, but will wash away if it's raining. According to one source, it is 84% less corrosive than salt, (easier on our cars), can be washed off cars, and is more environmentally friendly to streams.
• The Department of Transportation and City of Sammamish use GeoMelt.

The Administration is asking Council for $100,000 to pay for these Winter Storm Event improvements.

• Live traffic camera viewing on the city website to help citizens pick the safest routes.
• Permanent 1650 AM Radio traffic advisory road signs on major routes. Look for them; they are already in place.
• New steel plow edges to use, as needed. The City recently purchased a $220,000+ "reflective button" installing machine to replace scraped off buttons.
• New small plow truck clear the Fire Department, Public Safety building, City Hall and other tight areas.

Mr. Campbell advised that any neighborhoods hiring private plowing services will be required to get a permit from the city to protect the public, for insurance guarantees and to hold the City harmless. Mr. Campbell & Council also recommended citizens buy a shovel and suggested "Drive-by shoveling" services could be organized by Scouts, students, nonprofits, or For-profit organizations. Great idea!

Also, dust off your broom; the city is NOT responsible for sweeping residential sidewalks and Mr. Campbell asks for our help. But, the good news is we won't have any sand to sweep next storm!

To read citizen, police and mayoral comments made on previous blog stories during the frustration of the storm click here and to the Mayor . The Mayor said he'd put a link to citizen storm comments on the city site.