Messy roads could stick around all week

A winter slushy mess has plagued the Puget Sound. After snow fell across Western Washington, the clean-up continues but the job isn’t easy.

“We continue to work hard on it and we’re doing everything we can,” Seattle DOT spokesperson Ethan Bergerson.

In the Emerald City, the clean-up is off to a rough start as the staffing just isn’t there.

“Because a lot of staff were out of town or gearing up for the holidays and so that made it more of a challenging situation for us to get staffed up to respond to the snow,” says Bergerson.

And whether or not your neighborhood is cleaned up may depend on what neighborhood you live in.

If you’re far removed from those busy city streets, you’re likely on your own.

Bergerson says, “We prioritize which routes we’re going to plow based on what’s the most needed for emergency vehicles and the most number of people.”

In Pierce county, the focus is now on streets that could ice over.

“We are going to be in these freezing temperatures for a while,” says Deputy Darren Moss with the Pierce County Sheriff’s Office.

With so much snow and slush sticking around, first responders want to make sure drivers are cautious.

Moss says, “Go at a slow easy pace so that you can make it through the side roads and get to the main road where the salt has been poured on the road and things like that.”

With temperatures expected to stay below freezing for several days, drivers in Snohomish county don’t expect to see clear roads anytime soon.

“It is a little precarious because we’re slipping a little bit as we’re trying to get into gear after the stop signs,” says Kristin Decker who was out driving Monday night. “You got to stay back from some people because you will run into them.”

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