Category: Inclement Weather

Road crews are essential

Governor Jay Inslee’s “Stay Home, Stay Healthy” order, listed road maintenance and construction as essential infrastructure activities.

Crews use a vacuum truck to clean debris and standing water from a roadside drain. Cleaning out the drains help prevents them from flooding during rainy weather and
removing the solids from catch basins keeps dangerous pollutants out of fish bearing streams, protecting the health of our water systems.
Continue reading Road crews are essential

Roads lends hand during Skykomish snow emergency

King County Roads crews helped plow a school parking lot in snow-covered Skykomish so crews could deliver a generator to a local K-12 school building.
King County Roads crews helped plow a school parking lot in snow-covered Skykomish so crews could deliver a generator to a local K-12 school building.
After King County Roads cleared a school parking lot, crews were able to deliver this generator to a school building in snow-covered Skykomish.
After King County Roads cleared a school parking lot, crews were able to deliver this generator to a school building in snow-covered Skykomish.
Using graders, King County Roads crews plowed the upper and lower Baring Fire station parking lots so the fire station could operate as an emergency shelter during the days-long power outage in Skykomish.
Pictured is downed tree over a power line in snow-covered Skykomish.
Pictured is downed tree over a power line in snow-covered Skykomish.
Here’s a picture of the King County Roads shop in snow-covered Skykomish. Despite the snow, crews were able to assist the community.

This month’s wintry weather hit the Skykomish area especially hard.

Dozens of downed trees caught in power lines closed roads and knocked out electricity throughout Skykomish and Baring, making it hazardous to even plow the roads.

Despite that, our Road Services Division crews were able to help the community as they waited for the green light to begin making side roads accessible: Continue reading Roads lends hand during Skykomish snow emergency

Local Services’ 19: Top Accomplishments of 2019

What a first year!

Our goals were clear: create a department and begin delivering improved government services to the diverse residents and businesses of unincorporated King County.

We took that and ran with it, retooling how the county listens to residents, works collaboratively with them, and acts in their communities.

Here are 19 accomplishments we racked up in 2019: Continue reading Local Services’ 19: Top Accomplishments of 2019

County establishes 24-hour helpline, requests help to reach unincorporated residents isolated by winter storms

Snow covers a King County road near Enumclaw in February 2019.
King County photo by Brandy Rettig

Swaths of unincorporated King County continue to feel the effects of the unprecedented winter storms, which have left several rural communities buried in snow and without power.

The storms have created several challenges, particularly in the east portion of the county, where residents have limited or no road access in or out of their neighborhoods, and where many neighborhoods do not have power. Continue reading County establishes 24-hour helpline, requests help to reach unincorporated residents isolated by winter storms