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Seattle Times: Seattle refuses to salt roads
Tue, Dec. 23rd, 2008 06:58 am..."plowed streets" in Seattle actually means "snow-packed," as in there's snow and ice left on major arterials by design.
Apparently, one of the reasons this spate of severe weather in Seattle is so debilitating is that the city has decided that it's environmentally unsound to use salt to melt ice. The city's plows have been equipped with only marginally effective equipment. And it's all on purpose. Read the Seattle Times report.
Maybe I'm a bad environmentalist, but I'll take the rap. I don't think these choices are good for the city or its residents. Those of us without four-wheel drive or chains (go ahead, try to find chains at this point--if you can get to stores, that is) are stuck without recourse, especially when bus service is limited (like yesterday, when every bus closer than a 20 minute walk away was taken out of service and none of the sidewalks have been shoveled--except by me; I've been clearing our sidewalks for days now. It's been my main form of exercise.).
Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch, I know. I just think this endangers residents (on the news last night, it was reported that traffic accidents the last two weeks have increased specifically in relation to the weather and road conditions), limits commerce (economy? what economy?), and frustrates everyone (merry freakin' holidays, yo).
And then there's the forecast: More snow, then rain, to be followed by possible urban flooding.
I understand why these choices are being made. But it's times like this that I long for New York.
Apparently, one of the reasons this spate of severe weather in Seattle is so debilitating is that the city has decided that it's environmentally unsound to use salt to melt ice. The city's plows have been equipped with only marginally effective equipment. And it's all on purpose. Read the Seattle Times report.
Maybe I'm a bad environmentalist, but I'll take the rap. I don't think these choices are good for the city or its residents. Those of us without four-wheel drive or chains (go ahead, try to find chains at this point--if you can get to stores, that is) are stuck without recourse, especially when bus service is limited (like yesterday, when every bus closer than a 20 minute walk away was taken out of service and none of the sidewalks have been shoveled--except by me; I've been clearing our sidewalks for days now. It's been my main form of exercise.).
Kvetch, kvetch, kvetch, I know. I just think this endangers residents (on the news last night, it was reported that traffic accidents the last two weeks have increased specifically in relation to the weather and road conditions), limits commerce (economy? what economy?), and frustrates everyone (merry freakin' holidays, yo).
And then there's the forecast: More snow, then rain, to be followed by possible urban flooding.
I understand why these choices are being made. But it's times like this that I long for New York.