成人X站

Whose responsible for Seattle sidewalk snow and ice clean-up in Seattle? You are.

And the city council wants be sure you know it before winter hits. Owners or residents of property next to sidewalks to clear them of snow and ice in a 鈥渢imely manner,鈥� and if possible keep it from becoming a public safety hazard.

Predictions of November snow in Western Washington?

Not everyone does that and some may not be aware, likely because it鈥檚 a law that doesn鈥檛 have much in the way of enforcement. No enforcement means minimal clean-up, leaving some in dire situations when the snow hits.

鈥淥ne major problem I experienced during last February鈥檚 snowstorm was being unable to use sidewalks for days because all of the snow was on the sidewalk,鈥� a man in a wheelchair explained to the City Council before it passed a resolution this week asking SDOT to launch a public awareness campaign before winter.

鈥淲hen it snows and there鈥檚 uncleaned sidewalks you just don鈥檛 go out,鈥� another man told the council.

鈥淭here鈥檚 a Bank of America beside me and they shovel their sidewalk and that鈥� as far as I went, for days, and days, and days,鈥� he added.

Councilmember Mike O鈥橞rien said those stories show there鈥檚 a need to act quickly.

鈥淭he experience that so many folks had during the snowstorm 鈥� we don鈥檛 get those every year 鈥� which I think speaks to some of the challenges, that we鈥檙e not as prepared as we need to be,鈥� O鈥橞rien said, stressing the need for new enforcement policy.

鈥淥ur current requirement is that the property owner shovel snow 鈥� there鈥檚 really no enforcement of that. We have a policy that sounds good on paper, but at the end of the day results in kind of a mish-mash of what happens in a snow or ice event,鈥� O鈥橞rien added.

Lisa Herbold actually sponsored the , which also asks SDOT for an enforcement plan by January and look at requiring commercial property to clear snow within 12 hours of a storm. It also requests some policy options for the council to fix the more than $150,000 worth of sidewalk maintenance needs across the city.

鈥淲e鈥檙e looking to be much more effective and responsive in addressing this problem and responsive to our communities who really rely on our sidewalks to assist in mobility and just get around,鈥� Herbold said.

The City Council鈥檚 action on sidewalks, comes on the heels of action by the King County Council in August to provide free Metro transit rides during snow emergencies.