The City of Spokane street department on Tuesday outlined its winter snow-and-ice operations, highlighted a new, larger materials shed at the streets training site and described equipment and staffing changes meant to speed response during the Nov. 15–March 15 winter period. “Where we are standing is the foundation for a brand new, bigger, and better shed to to store our de icer material,” the mayor said, describing the purpose of the new structure.

John Snyder, director of transportation and sustainability, told attendees the city will continue routine surface maintenance while preparing for snow season and reminded the public of the operational window: “we wanna remind the community what they can can expect between November 15 and March 15 for winter conditions and snow and ice response.” He said the city will continue to use partner department employees for full-city plow operations when needed and maintain satellite material locations stocked with sand, granular and liquid deicer.

Clint Harris, city street director, detailed operational adjustments for winter, including extended shift coverage, use of trucks, plows, sanders, graders, front-end loaders, snow gates and a specialized plow for protected bike lanes. He said the department is equipping graders with new tires intended to eliminate the need for heavy snow chains and will continue using “shark bit” grader blades and snow gates to reduce driveway berms. “It takes teamwork and partnership to make our snow response plan come together each year,” Harris said.

Harris said satellite refill sites reduce the time drivers spend returning to central yards and that the new shed will increase seasonal storage and allow the city to purchase materials off season. He said the city operates four satellite material locations and that the satellite network, together with on-route supplies, helps the department complete a full-city plow in about three days under major events.

Residents were asked to help crews by parking off the street when possible (or on the odd side of the street), removing RVs, trailers and basketball hoops from public rights-of-way for the season, and, downtown, moving vehicles off streets from midnight to 6 a.m. after a snowfall to allow clearing of parking bays. Harris asked businesses and property owners to clear a 36-inch-wide path on sidewalks and ADA ramps by 9 a.m. after a snowfall to keep bus riders, disabled people and students safe.

Spokane Fire Department representative Justin DeRider thanked streets crews and emphasized emergency access, asking residents to keep routes clear and maintain a three-foot clearance around fire hydrants so crews can establish water supply quickly during incidents.

Becky, representing Spokane Public Schools, described the district’s decision sequence for closures or late starts during snow events: district staff are on the roads by about 3 a.m., district leadership meets at about 4:30 a.m., a final decision is made by about 5 a.m., staff are notified around 5:30 a.m. and families around 6 a.m. She said the district has 14 plows, two sanders and three deicing trucks this year and that the aim is to keep students at school when safe to do so so they can access meals and services.

In response to questions, Harris said the grader tire change applies to graders and is intended to make operations safer and less burdensome (by reducing chain use) but does not represent a fundamental change in service levels. He confirmed the city’s four satellite locations (including a site at a northern landfill, one in the Hilliard area, one in the northwest plains and one at the waste-to-energy plant), said the department employs about 70 people with capacity to add roughly 50 additional workers during major events, and described a contract renewal that preserved a $1,500,000 blanket amount for deicer purchases while allowing flexibility to use liquid or solid materials.

The city said it will maintain public communications throughout winter via social media, its website, a weekly community email, text and email alerts, and a frequently updated plow-progress map during full-city plow events. Utility customers will receive neighborhood plow-route maps in their November utility bill.

No formal actions, votes or ordinance changes were taken at the briefing; the meeting was informational and focused on operational planning and public guidance.