PORTLAND, Ore. (Portland Tribune) — By the time Oregon Gov. Tina Kotek declared a weather state of emergency for Multnomah County on Feb. 26, the worst of the unexpectedly severe winter storm was over. But the work to understand why the Portland region was caught so off guard and how to prevent it from happening again is just beginning.
Both the Oregon Department of Transportation and the Portland Bureau of Transportation will conduct “after-action” reviews of the responses to the storm. Such reviews are normal after big weather events. But these reviews will be closely watched because the problems were so big.
The city was hit with 10.8 inches of snow in 24 hours on the afternoon of Wednesday, Feb. 22, making it the second snowiest day ever recorded in Portland. The snowfall created an immediate series of crises — from gridlocked freeways to lingering ice on major streets, and many side streets that were still undrivable after several days.
“After-action reviews are a standard part of our work — along with all agencies providing emergency response — and something we try to do after all major events,” ODOT Communication Director Kevin Glenn told the Portland Tribune. “We are constantly reviewing our responses and honing our best practices. If there is anything we can learn, we want to adapt our procedures to be ready for the next event and continually improve outcomes for those we serve. These kinds of surprise snowstorms may not be frequent, but they do happen and we want to be ready to pivot to meet the severity of the situation.”
City Commissioner Mingus Mapps said the city’s review will examine a difference between how PBOT plows city streets compared to other states. As reported by KOIN 6 News, PBOT plows a half inch or so off the ground, skimming the top of the ice and snow. The transportation departments in Washington, Montana, Colorado and Utah keep their plows directly on the ground, a method Colorado says costs more but is “safer for the traveling public.”
“It’s something we’ll take a look at as we do our after action report,” Mapps said.
One explanation of what went wrong that emerged early was that weather forecasters got their predictions wrong. During a Friday press conference, Mayor Ted Wheeler said he and other city employees were expecting just a light dusting of snow. When the storm hit full force, everyone downtown rushed to get home, trapping Portland Bureau of Transportation vehicles in the resulting traffic jam.
KOIN 6 News is a media partner with the Portland Tribune.