Update at 7:40 p.m. Monday with additional details.
It was a snow day for many in Edmonds Monday as overnight snow and ice — coupled with a power outage affecting thousands in the city — prompted the closure of schools, Edmonds City Hall and Edmonds Municipal Court, and Edmonds Community College.
The Edmonds School District announced later Monday that schools would also be closed Tuesday, Feb. 5, and Edmonds Community College said it is canceling all classes (including evening and online classes) and activities Tuesday.
Edmonds Municipal Court Judge Linda Coburn said court will open late on Tuesday — at 10 a.m. instead of 8:30 a.m.
Classes at the city’s Frances Anderson Center were also cancelled Monday, but Edmonds police, public works and parks department support staff were on the job, the city said. Edmonds police said they were receiving a high volume of calls due to weather-related traffic mishaps, and advised residents on Twitter: “If you don’t have to drive, stay home.”
As of early Monday afternoon, all Edmonds arterial streets and major roadways were open, said Edmonds Public Works Director Phil Williams. A few residential streets were closed because they are too slick for even a plow truck and sander to access, he added.
The city urged residents to respect barriers set up on closed roadways and not drive around them.
Williams said that crews were kept busy plowing and sanding roads overnight and all day in an effort to keep major arterials open.
“We have been sanding and de-icing continuously since before the snow began to fall yesterday,” Williams said Monday. “We will be going all night tonight as well. Forecasted temperatures on Tuesday should allow some melting to take place. We will continue to work on our road network 24/7 to keep our primary routes open.”
He advised that citizens “keep trips to the minimum necessary, try to shift them out of prime commuting periods, and drive slowly.” For those with 4-wheel and all-wheel drive vehicles, “don’t get overly aggressive,” Williams added. “You may be able to start quickly in slippery conditions but stopping will be just as difficult as it is for everybody else. Be patient, leave early, and stay safe.”
One other public safety message from Williams: While it’s tempting to sled on city streets, it isn’t safe. “These streets are generally not closed,” he said. “People can back out of driveways quickly. You may not be able to stop at the bottom and could enter traffic at the next intersection. Most sleds are not easy to steer with precision. We have had some serious accidents as a result of this activity in the past.”
Snohomish County PUD spokesman Aaron Swaney said that it was unclear what caused a power outage that affected hundreds in downtown Edmonds — including city hall — Monday morning. A separate outage in the Firdale Village area was caused by a tree limb on a power line, he said.
To contact the City of Edmonds Public Works Department, call 425-771-0235 between 7:30 a.m. and 5 p.m. (messages can be left). After hours, call 911 if an immediate response is necessary.
I was surprised to see sand on the roads yesterday. I remember after the big 2008 snowstorm, the question of sand vs. salt was raised, and scientists pointed out (https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/sand-on-roads-worse-than-salt-scientists-say/) that we live on a saltwater Sound, where the melting ice will flow to. But sand blocks up waterways and destroys salmon spawning grounds. Is there a missing factor here, some reason Edmonds still uses sand?
Brian — I posed your question to Public Works Director Phil Williams, and here’s what he said:
We put sand down to increase traction and enhance safety. The first thing we do after the storm is sweep the sand back up and reuse it when we can or take it to be recycled. This recaptures the vast majority of the material we apply. Any remaining sand will get washed down the storm drains in the next significant rain event. When it enters the storm drain system the density of the sand allows it to settle out in “catch basins” where we subsequently vacuum it out with our large vacuum/jetting truck. We decant this material on-site at our public works yard and then take the dried remainder to an approved site for use as fill material or as cover for a landfill operation.
Fascinating – thanks! And thansk to Phil Williams as well!
Thank you, Theresa – I was half expecting you’d do that!
Phil Williams and staff have worked long hours this week to try and make the roads safer in a very challenging and hilly area in the interest of public safety. My wife and I send our sincere appreciation to all of them out there working! Thank you!