Clearing the streets

Posted: Monday, Feb 11, 2008 - 09:08:26 pm PST
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By LUCY DUKES
Staff writer 

JASON HUNT/Press A city street worker uses a front-end loader to move snow and slush from the intersection of Linden Avenue and Sixth Street Monday.

Warmer temperatures have melted ice, let crews catch up

COEUR d'ALENE -- Drivers floundered on side roads this weekend, spinning their wheels in slush as deep as 20 inches in some places.

The city even had to plow out a fire truck that became stuck east of Ninth Street on Monday morning.

But city street superintendent Tim Martin said on Monday afternoon that he expected roads to be plowed by evening. A few streets will have to wait because the "ice floors" on some roads have not yet broken up. Martin especially mentioned those east of 15th Street. Those will be plowed when the ice breaks up. He anticipated the bumpy ice on roads around stops would be gone by the end of the week.

"It's patience. I know people are frustrated. They're tired of winter, but we can't be everywhere at once," he said.

Crews started opening streets at 5 a.m. Saturday. A full plow takes 38 hours, he said, advising the public to remove vehicles from the road whenever possible during plowing.

Among the hardest hit parts of town were north of Best Avenue, around Coeur d'Alene Place, and Pine Grove. Martin said conditions at Coeur d'Alene Place were the worst he's seen in years.

Some of the roads are getting narrow, too, such as Seventh, Ninth and Harrison.

"Fire trucks and some of our biggest trucks can't get through," Martin said.

The snow dumped on North Idaho has also resulted in potholes, especially on 15th Street, Atlas Road, Kathleen West of Ramsey and a few on Sherman Avenue, he said.

In Worley, roads remain poor in many areas. Gravel roads have thawed and turned so soft that they can't support heavy equipment. Plus, one of the Worley Highway District's snowblowers has broken down, said district supervisor Kevin Howard.

The roads were impassible on Friday because of blowing, drifting snow, but they began to improve that afternoon, he said.

The district hopes to have all of the roads that bring people into town and the major highways cleared to full width by Wednesday. When the rural roads get cleared depends upon the weather, Howard said.

A few roads are closed in the Worley area, including a 1/2 mile section of Finnebott Road and 4 miles of Bitter Road. No residents are trapped. The rest of the roads are open, but the majority are one lane only.

Slush is an issue, Howard said. If the gravel roads become impassable, the highway district will run equipment over them. However, the district wants to keep heavy loads off the roads as much as possible, he said.

Eastside Highway District officials expect to have roads cleared by the end of the week, provided the weather does not change.

"The warming trend has helped us tremendously," said road supervisor John Pankratz.

Eastside will clear major collectors and school bus routes first, with secondary and rural residential roads last on the list. All of the roads are open except for Alder Creek Road from Marie Creek Saddle Road to the top of the Fourth of July Pass.

"We're in pretty good shape until the water starts to run," Pankratz said.

It is possible water will run soon. The forecast calls for rain or snow for the next several days, according to the Kootenai County Office of Emergency Management.

Officials are advising homeowners to protect themselves ahead of time by contacting their local sand and gravel companies for sand and sandbags if they think they will have problems with melting snow in and near their residences.

They advise homeowners to contact their insurance companies for flood insurance advice. Flood insurance must be in effect for 30 days prior to any claims, a press release from emergency management states.

Officials also ask travelers to tell their highway districts and transportation departments of any pooling or flooding on roadways; make sure they have enough room to travel alongside another car; and use extreme caution on slippery ice at night and in early morning hours.

Residents are also asked to locate and clear snow away from fire hydrants.