After last December’s disastrous snow response, the city has come

up with a new plan that includes using more salt and hired a new street maintenance director who has considerable snow removal experience.

Here’s the full press release:

City Debuts New Snow Plan for Seattle

Applies national best practices, hires new Street Maintenance director

SEATTLE – The city of Seattle today announced the completion of a comprehensive effort to revamp and upgrade its winter storm readiness and response plan. In addition, the Seattle Department of Transportation (SDOT) welcomes aboard Monty Sedlak as the new director of Street Maintenance.

“Based on nationwide best practices, our new plan will ensure Seattle is ready for any kind of winter storm,” said SDOT Director Grace Crunican. “With an aggressive, high-tech oriented approach and new leadership, SDOT will keep people and goods moving in Seattle during challenging winter weather.”

Plan highlights include:

-A new approach to snow that includes an expanded use of salt brine and salt, and limited use of sand;

-Significant improvements to facilities and fleet to include GPS technology and weather awareness;

-An improved organizational structure and significant training for winter storms;

-A commitment to better communicate with the people of Seattle and agency partners; and

-Performance measures to objectively evaluate accomplishments.

Designed in consultation with King County Metro Transit, city agencies and other key partners, the plan will facilitate a coordinated response that keeps buses moving and critical institutions accessible, including hospitals. Businesses and residents are reminded of their obligation to shovel sidewalks near their properties.

Mr. Sedlak, formerly the Road and Bridge Division manager for Arapahoe County, Colo., possesses significant winter storm experience and will be a key leader in applying SDOT’s new snow response procedures as of October 26. To learn more about the plan and the new snow map, visit http://www.seattle.gov/transportation/winterweather.htm.

The Seattle Department of Transportation builds, maintains and operates Seattle’s $12 billion transportation infrastructure. To further Mayor Nickels’ goal to get Seattle moving, the department manages short- and long-term investments in streets, bridges, pavement and trees, that better connect the city with the region.

Steady snowfall is starting to show some accumulation on sidewalks and even roadways, especially on the highest points of Phinney Ridge. Forecasters say the wet snow will turn to rain later this morning.

This was the scene at Woodland Park shortly before 9 a.m.

Woke up at about 4:30 a.m. to an eerie quietness. Looked out the window and saw thick snowflakes and a thin coating of snow that looks like it started falling a short time earlier.

At 5 a.m., there was no word on Seattle school closures/delays, or Metro Bus issues. Check here for Metro Transit updates and a look at the radar.

5:17: a.m. update: Seattle Public schools will be delayed for two hours, but the snow is tapering off. More details.

5:35 a.m. update: Metro Route 5 is steering clear of its Fremont Avenue routing south of 46th due to adverse conditions.

Came home this evening to slushy snow:

A mix of snow and rain is expected overnight and into Tuesday morning.  If nothing else, leave yourself a couple extra minutes to brush/scrape the snow off your vehicle, or walk to your bus stop.

A thin layer of crunchy, compact snow covered the area this morning.

Seattle Public Schools are running two hours late, there’s no kindergarten, Head Start programs or door-to-door service today as well.

The snow is done for today, meteorologists say, but more snow could be coming to part of the region Tuesday.

6:32 a.m. update: If you’re a Microsoftie, or otherwise heading to work on the Eastside, 520 across Lake Washington is closed due to accidents in BOTH directions. Check your traffic before you head into work today (as of 6:50 a.m., one eastbound lane is open, but traffic is very backed up).

Some Metro bus routes are on snow routes, but none are reported in our area so far. Despite that, Metro warns service could be slowed.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels is looking for feedback on the city’s response to the late-December snowstorms. You’re invited to talk with him, department heads and city staff about your winter-storm experiences. It’s part of a citywide performance review of emergency snow operations.

Not that you probably need it, but to refresh your memory of the event, here’s a Dec. 21, 2008 shot of Greenwood Avenue.

Three open house meetings are set for this week. Given the first one is near Green Lake and the weather, ahem, is expected to be good, getting there shouldn’t be a problem. The schedule:

• Green Lake Community Center, Tuesday, 6:30 to 8 p.m., 7201 E. Green Lake Drive N.
• Garfield Community Center, Wednesday, 6:30 to 8 p.m., 2323 E. Cherry St.
• Southwest Community Center, Thursday, 6:30 to 8 p.m., 2801 S.W. Thistle St.

6:47 a.m.: The snow turned to rain sometime overnight, melting a substantial amount of the more than 2 inches that fell Sunday night. Side streets are covered with slushy snow,

but are very passable on the less hilly roads and main arterials are moving smoothly. Some Metro Transit routes are on adverse weather routes, including the 358, which is staying on Aurora this morning and avoiding Winona. Seattle Public Schools are in session though.

While there’s another storm rolling in Tuesday, this is the last snow we’re expected to see for several days, forecasters say. Temps could flirt with 50 later this week.

10:12 p.m.: Still snowing and we’ve got 2.5 inches at home in lower Phinney. Metro buses aren’t chained up and some are having trouble negotiating their routes. See updates here. City plows are out as well, but it appears they too were caught unawares. The snow is supposed to change to rain soon, but at this point, expect a slushy mess in the morning.

8:20 p.m. update: Cliff Mass says the snow will now stick around until about 10 p.m.

Thick, sticky snow is accumulating, quickly filling in tire tracks and footprints.

A “winter storm advisory” calls for 1-3 inches in the Seattle metro area, followed by rain, which is supposed to wash away most of the snow by morning. Supposed to, anyway.

Cliff Mass calls this “diabatic” snow and says most of the stuff is expected to taper off around 7 p.m. It’s coming down pretty hard though here at 6:30 p.m. …

Mayor Greg Nickels reversed course today and said the city will use salt on the roads in emergency conditions, work more closely with Metro Transit and hire additional contractors to clean up sand after the storm.

The policy change came after the city got a lot of flak for its policy of packing down snow, using sand  and some liquid de-icer in spots instead of clearing streets.

“In normal Seattle winters, this practice has served us well. But the three storms that we experienced this month dumped more than a foot of snow,” Nickels said during a press conference today. “This time, liquid de-icers were not enough. People were frustrated, and so was I. By amending our salting practices, we will be able to clear more roads faster, while maintaining our environmental commitment.”

Watch the full press conference here.

The mayor also said they’ll hire two private contracting crews to help five city crews clear up sand left over on streets. Looking at just Greenwood Avenue, they’ve got some work ahead of them, as sand covers the center turn lane and the bike lanes on each shoulder.

Also, the city will have crews out taking care of missed garbage collections on New Year’s Day.  Though this doesn’t affect our neighborhoods, Thursday customers will have garbage picked up Friday and Friday customers will have theirs picked up Saturday.

Conditions permitting, Thursday and Friday garbage customers could have their stuff picked up Saturday and Sunday, per the City of Seattle.

Friday customers’ garbage will be picked up Saturday, while Thursday’s customers will see their garbage picked up Sunday, again, conditions permitting. Monday through Wednesday customers should just put out their garbage next week on the regular day. There will be no charge for extra garbage, according to the press release:

Thursday and Friday customers are advised to leave their garbage at the curb through Sunday. Collection contractors will inspect neighborhood routes throughout the weekend for service opportunities. Customers scheduled for Monday through Wednesday pickup should set out their materials on their normal appointed days, next week. There will be no additional charge for setting out extra garbage.

Seattle Public Utilities’ Web site and call center (206-684-3000) will be updated with the most current collection information. Customers can also sign-up for CurbWaste E-News service alerts.

9:45 a.m. update: With a warm, wet storm approaching today, the National Weather Service has issued a flood watch for the greater Puget Sound region, urging residents to clear storm drains to minimize the risk of urban flooding.

This morning, we noticed this SDOT crew clearing a drain at 51st and 8th Ave.

Most of these drains are packed over with snow and ice. “What people can do at home is, if they have a storm drain that’s out front and they know where its at and they have a shovel or a broom that’s available, they can clear the drain of snow and basically do what we’re doing,” said Carrie Parker, Seattle Public Utilities Dept. To report a drainage problem, call 684-3000, or 386-1800 if there’s a blockage below the street surface. Other tips: clear heavy snow off the side of your house and your back porch so water won’t leak inside.

May the joy of the season be with you on this white Christmas day. And look at that - it’s snowing again!

If you’re heading out today to be with family and friends, drive careful, the roads are still a mess as you can somewhat see from this blurred photo taken while being bounced in and out of ice potholes Christmas Eve.