PORTLAND, ORE. (KOIN) – Snow and ice from last week’s historic storm is still sticking around higher elevation neighborhoods, and the Portland Bureau of Transportation says it’s their policy not to plow them.
Rain has been the most effective resource for snow-removal in lower elevation areas over the weekend, but residents in higher elevations are still facing snow: Most main roads have been cleared, but side streets remain icy, snowy and slushy right out of people’s front doors.
Randy Goldenberg lives in SW Portland, but he says even he couldn’t leave his house safely days after the initial snowstorm last week.
“I think it’s wrong. I think if they’ve gotten the main roads cleared, they need to take care of the side streets too. People need to get to work. They need to take care of Portland – that’s what they’re paid for,” Goldenberg said.
Goldenberg said he can only hope plows will clear SW Pomona Street tonight so he can make it to work safely tomorrow.
Commissioner Mingus Mapps, who oversees PBOT, said it’s a resource issue because the city doesn’t have enough plows to cover every side street.
“If you’re having a problem with the road we encourage you to reach out to PBOT and let us know about that,” Mapps said.
But there’s another critical difference between Oregon and other states such as Washington, Montana, Colorado and Utah: PBOT plows a half inch or so off the ground, skimming the top of the ice and snow.
The Department of Transportations in other states keep their plows directly on the ground, a method Colorado says costs more but is “safer for the traveling public.”
“We basically put the plows on, then in the snow or ice, and go….All the way to the ground,” Trish Cummins, the maintenance supervisor for Washington State Department of Transportation.
Meanwhile, an upcoming action report from PBOT will evaluate every response from Portland’s second snowiest storm.
As for plowing closer to the ground, Mapps said “it’s something we’ll take a look at as we do our after action report.”