The City of Portland is taking several new steps for the winter storm that’s expected to arrive Thursday afternoon.
- Use up to 100 tons of road salt on at least three busy corridors to help clear snow and ice. This is the largest use of road salt in the modern history of Portland. It will also help PBOT test the effectiveness of road salt in a variety of locations that could indicate how it may be more effectively used citywide in the future.
- Expand the city’s 1,120 lane miles of plow routes to include up to 340 lane miles of additional public school bus routes. This is a 30 percent increase in the number of lane miles covered by PBOT.
- Reinstate the requirement for chains or traction tires on West Burnside and SW Sam Jackson Park Road, as conditions warrant. These two routes serving regional hospitals have often been blocked by vehicles that were abandoned when drivers found themselves unprepared for winter conditions. A first-time implementation of this requirement in January resulted in far fewer abandoned vehicles. Drivers who ignore this requirement will be subject to a citation by Portland Police in the amount of $160.
The City also plans future action to be better prepared for winter weather:
- Negotiating a Mutual Aid Agreement with the Seattle Department of Transportation that would make it easier and faster for the two cities to share resources in response to severe winter weather events.
- Seeking information from the private sector about potential plows and other resources the city could hire to address winter storms. A formal Request for Information is being prepared to send to the contracting community, so companies can describe what services they may be able to provide in future storms.
- Working with the Portland Water Bureau to see if their planned equipment purchases could include trucks that could accommodate a snow plow attachment, as PBOT dump trucks are equipped currently.
In addition, PBOT on Tuesday filed a budget request for $2.8 million from the City’s General Fund Budget for 2017-18 to expand the bureau’s ability to clear roads during winter storms. Pending City Council approval, the $2.8 million would be available in the budget year starting July 1.
- $1.2 million in one-time General Fund investment for equipment, including: - $342,000 for a grader that will allow PBOT crews to clear hard packed snow from the pavement on critical public safety routes. This will provide a different level of service from snow plows, which only plow to about 1 inch above the pavement. - $50,000 to convert two six yard dump trucks into de-icing vehicles. - $12,000 for two aerial drones for use in evaluating landslides and floods; - $45,000 for three covered storage units to store different de-icing materials such as road salt - $200,000 for eight drop in sanders/salters to expand de-icing and sanding capacity; - $100,000 for four fixed, electronic variable message signs to better communicate traveling conditions to the public; - $120,000 for eight portable, electronic variable message signs to better communicate traveling conditions to the public; - $45,000 for a fixed camera on West Burnside for timely response to travel hazards, including the need for traction tire requirement; - $150,000 for two additional storage tanks for anti-icing liquid; - $150,000 for six new plow blades to attach to de-icing trucks.
- $1.6 million in on-going General Fund investment for additional capacity to address winter storms, including five additional full-time equivalent PBOT staff for weather response; use of Water Bureau trucks and staff to be used as snow plows and plow operators; maintenance of equipment and purchase and storage of larger supplies of de-icing material.