An unusual amount of snow for the Gig Harbor and Key peninsulas has kept road crews, police and emergency departments with their hands full in the past week.
The City of Gig Harbor stepped up road crew operations to 24-hour shifts on Saturday.
“We’ve been running a six-person crew, round-the-clock, since Saturday,” Marco Malich, the city’s public works supervisor, said Monday. “We have three pieces of equipment with plows and sanders, and today we’re starting to work out and get some side roads and entrances cleared so people can get to the main roads.”
Major roads through town and steep hills like Pioneer Way, Stinson Avenue and Borgen Boulevard have been the main focus, with plows clearing roads and laying sand with rock salt.
“We’ve put a lot of sand on the hills and icy areas,” Malich said. “From Olympic Village onto Harborview and out to Burnham is the least grade and the safest way, if you have to go through town. There’s been a few road closures off and on — part of Vernhardsen Street and Pioneer were closed until we could get them sanded and plowed. Otherwise, all the main drags have been accessible.”
The city has a 19-person staff that has been working in rotating eight-hour shifts. By Monday, the crew was beginning to feel the pinch.
“I’ve been out off and on all through the weekend,” Malich said. “People have been coming in early to take care of the morning commute. The temperature has been sitting right at freezing or a little above, and we have to tend to the main drags and make sure people can get through the city.”
Malich said the high snowfall total — a reported 9 inches in places — for such a long period of time isn’t normal, but he added that power companies and police departments have been doing an excellent job in keeping things up and running.
“It takes us back a few years,” Malich said. “This (the snow) has been hanging around for a while. It’s not typical of this area, but I think everybody has been getting a lot better at understanding and being patient. We did not get the high winds they were expecting this weekend, which was a blessing.”
Malich said drivers should plan ahead when they travel, give themselves extra time to reach their destination and be careful.
The Pierce County Public Works Department, which covers the Gig Harbor and Key peninsulas, also has crews working around the clock. Don Wells, the county’s public works district manager, said crews will race to clear roads as they warm up before it snows again.
“We’re trying to keep ahead of it,” he said. “We want to get as much as we can plowed and material down to remove the slush before it freezes again. We have four plow trucks and one grader removing snow at different times.”
Wells said when roads are bare, a salt grind is put down to keep snow from accumulating. Once snow is on the ground, they switch to a 50-50 salt-sand mixture.
“Sand has a tendency to blow away, and the salt helps the sand stick to the road,” Wells said. “The mixture does two things: the sand helps with traction, and the salt allows the sand to settle down into the snow.”
Gig Harbor Police Chief Mike Davis said that, as of Monday, no disasters had occurred.
“We’ve had a few minor fender-benders and one rollover on Vernhardsen Street,” he said. “But that driver shouldn’t have been there -- the road was closed. Nobody was injured. Most of our time has been spent dealing with stuck vehicles and transporting people.”
Davis said it’s important to be patient during these tough times.
“An interesting thing our officers have noticed is that some people are at their worst right now,” he said. “There’s a lot of rudeness out there. People are really stressed about not getting to do their last-minute shopping. We tell people to slow down, but some are determined to get out there and drive.”
On one occasion, Davis said a vehicle ran into a snow plow. He said the plows often make sudden stops, so drivers should give them plenty of room -- at least 200 feet.
“People don’t get the opportunity to share the road with these vehicles very often,” Davis said. “The operators have very limited vision. They’re teaming up with a spotter that rides along with them, but people need to be patient and let them do their jobs. I can’t reinforce that enough.”
Another concern comes with children sledding or playing in the snow.
“People need to be aware of their surroundings when they come into a residential neighborhood,” Davis said. “Children could be playing in the road or sledding down a hill and not be able to stop. On top of that, drivers don’t have the ability to brake sufficiently.”
Dick Bower, the City of Gig Harbor’s building and fire safety director, said heavy snow causes other issues as it starts to melt. Crews will be keeping an eye out for blocked storm drains so water can drain away.
“If everything thaws at once, you could have urban flooding situations,” Bower said. “And if it starts raining, there’s the possibility of another ice storm and the additional impact on the electrical system. We have to kind of wait and see what the weather does for us.”
Both Davis and Bower said melting snow can be especially dangerous around power lines.
Bower added that buildings with flat roofs will need to be watched closely because the weight of the melting snow could cause a cave-in.
The City of Gig Harbor declared a state of emergency on Tuesday based on snow accumulation, freezing temperatures and the weather forecast. Residents are encouraged to stay off the roads, if possible.
“The wonders of winter we’re experiencing are not without their challenges,” the city’s Dick Bower said on Tuesday.
For up to date information, visit www.cityofgigharbor.net.
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