PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — After working 12-hour shifts Wednesday through Sunday, Washington Department of Transportation crews are starting to get back to normal.
But crews are still on standby for additional long shifts in case the winter weather strikes again.
WSDOT has five plows at their Vancouver office and two in Washougal. Crews have been busy clearing roads north of the Columbia River, making freeways the priority.
“The biggest challenges have been equipment, and basically just exhaustion. We’re tired,” said WSDOT Maintenance Supervisor Trisha Cummins.
On Monday, crews cut back to 10-hour days. They say they’ve also treated roads several times.
“We’ve pretreated and treated and treated again,” Cummins said.
Cummins said she didn’t know if there’s any difference in how they handle the roads compared to Oregon.
“I’m not sure exactly how they do it over there. We’re partners, we share responsibility of the bridge,” she said.
With the potential for more winter storms in the forecast, crews are on standby for more 12 hours shifts and asking drivers to be cautious.
“If you don’t have to be on the road, don’t be,” Cummins said. “Give each a little grace and stay off the roads if you can.”