The city of Spokane has its snowplows out to begin working the entire city.
The city has invoked a so-called “Stage Two” event. That happens when six inches or more of snow come down. More is expected to fall overnight Monday and into Tuesday.
City spokeswoman Julie Happy says all of the city’s crews are now working around the clock, 12-hour shifts. Outside crews have also been called in.
“Today we’re plowing all residential areas, outlying areas, STA bus routes, emergency routes. And then tonight we’ll go into our residential plow," Happy said. "We’ll still continue to have crews on those arterials and emergency routes. Those are our main focus all the time. But the Stage Two will continue to bring in more crews to go in and do those residential areas.”
The city is asking city residents for three things:
? to move parked cars off of arterials and STA bus routes during the next few hours.
? to move cars out of downtown parking spaces between 2 and 6 AM.
? and to move their cars parked on residential streets and hills to the even side of the street.
"The plows do try to avoid the cars but what happens is as it continues to snow like it is, cars get covered in snow. Sometimes they’re difficult to see. Snowplows are big. And so we really ask you to clear off your car and also move your car,” she said.
The city is also asking residents to move snow away from curb ramps, fire hydrants, storm drains and mail boxes.
In Spokane Valley, city plows were out working residential areas on Monday, in addition to primary and secondary arterials.