West Seattle snow aftermath: Storm by the numbers

| Transportation | West Seattle news | West Seattle weather

(January 16th WSB photo, de-icer truck during “the calm between the storms“)
Just wrapped up at the City Council Transportation Committee‘s meeting, chaired by West Seattle-residing Councilmember Tom Rasmussen, the first preliminary briefing on how the city handled last week’s snow/ice storm. SDOT reps summarized it as a “really challenging week.” By the numbers:

$2.2 million = city’s budget for storm response
$1.35 million = projected total cost of storm response
($1.18 million costs confirmed so far)
55,353 = gallons of liquid salt brine used
(46,000 gallons kept in stock year-round)
5,015 = labor hours
3,941 = hours of equipment usage
3,372 = tons of rock salt used
946 = lane miles plowed/de-iced/etc.
100+ = emergency calls handled by SDOT from SPD, SFD
$100 = how much a ton of rock salt costs the city

Other notes from the briefing, ahead:

The city’s emergency boss Barb Graff said an early round of planning happened during a conference call on Friday the 13th, and that they were ready to activate the city’s Emergency Operations Center early, which she says “was critical.” She also mentioned something that hasn’t been widely discussed – local ham-radio operators were also involved in the city’s emergency ops, providing information on conditions around the city.

As for weather forecasts, the city reps mentioned monitoring a wide variety of sources “including Professor (Cliff) Mass’s blog,” though in the end, Graff said, forecasts can help you plan but “the plan has to be nimble.”

Overall, Rasmussen summarized what he had heard as “We did much better than we have done in the past.” He added, “I think we’re budgeted for one more storm this year.” An SDOT rep added, semi-jokingly – “A short one.”

Eddie January 24, 2012 (12:41 pm)

27 stories/posts on West Seattle Blog covering the storm from Jan 10 through Jan 20. (didn’t count the recovery or aftermath stories beginning Jan 21, didn’t count the sled theft story, did count the numerous picture collection posts – very cool bird pics).

1578 comments posted to the 27 stories

RobertSeattle January 24, 2012 (12:47 pm)

I’m estimating:
10 Million Vertical feet sled by Seattle “Children”.
50,000 Snowpersons (gender neutral, of course)
5000 Tempoary Snow Stuctures (Done without public hearings or DPD Permits!)
18.5 feet or residiental sidewalk snow shoveled.

WSB January 24, 2012 (12:52 pm)

I like those numbers :)

2 Much Whine January 24, 2012 (1:19 pm)

I know of at least one snow being that was very clearly female. . . . .Great posts Eddie and RobertSeattle (and of course WSB).

J January 24, 2012 (1:55 pm)

Robert, I saw at least 150 feet of sidewalks clear of snow!

hmmmm January 24, 2012 (4:17 pm)

The Weather Channel said Seattle doesn’t have any plows or salt for the roads. WSB you should send them your winter snow stats :-)

coffee January 24, 2012 (5:07 pm)

I have to say I was very happy with the city and county response. When we drove to the airport on Thursday morning Seattle was way better than Burien streets. And in my unincorporated King County area we even had county plows do our street!