Ever wonder why SDOT plows some streets during a snow storm and not others? Each year, the city releases a map detailing which streets will get level one priority (achieve bare and wet pavement on all lanes), level two priority (achieve bare and wet pavement on one lane in each direction), and level three (curves, hills and stopping zones treated). The goal is to keep major arterials and bus routes clear, but that means most residential streets won’t see a plow.
Ballard under a blanket of snow in December 2008
In Ballard, 15th Ave NW is a top priority along with part of Market Street. You can check out the citywide map or take a look at the map for Ballard.
![](https://www.myballard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024-My-Ballard-Tile-Ad-Troop-100.png")
Well, if they want to “achieve bare and wet pavement,” they’d better use regular plow blades instead of the silly ones they used in ’08. I live on 85th, and heard plows going by pretty regularly – only the blades they were using didn’t cut down through the snow. Sure it saved road markings, or whatever, because the blades never came close to the road! Such stupidity and waste.
Can I sign up for a route like Nickels got? Plowed from my door to my work, while the rest of the city is in gridlock.
Yeah, those rubber plow blades are a joke. Don’t work in snow.
bare and wet pavement? didn’t it take over a week to see that in 2008?
I sure hope they share this map with Metro.
Those rubber blade covers actually work great on snow and imperfect pavement while preventing the lane markers from getting destroyed. The downside is they don’t work well on ice and frozen hardpack which we don’t get that often. The problem that SDOT had in that storm is that even though the plow drivers knew they were being totally ineffective once the conditions changed there was no one higher up willing to break from the SOP in the book and allow them to pull the blade covers.
They finally pulled the covers after a week and that’s when they were able to clear those roads just in time for the weather to change and see everything melt.
What an beautiful snow picture! Who took it?
That would be me, thanks!
I hope we get a lot of snow this winter like we did in Dec ’08!!
the worst thing is you fall off your hipster bike or you crash into a hipster riding one…. its 3 to 5 inches.. get a car powered by gas and studs on the tires.. solved!:)