Our second pandemic winter will look a little different – what you should expect

By Barbara LaBoe

These aren't ordinary times, and this won't be an ordinary winter on our roads.

Washington state is almost two years into a public health emergency of global proportions. Like many others in our state, this has affected our agency in a number of ways – including winter operations.

Our staff began winter prep work months ago, but we also want the public to know that things will look different this winter. And that's why it's more important than ever to plan ahead, be prepared and stay informed.

What to expect this winter

So, what will the public see this winter?

Safety is always our top priority – for those of you traveling and our employees. Our dedicated crews will absolutely still be out on the roadways, plowing during and after storms as well as preparing and, in some cases, pre-treating roadways before storms.

Drivers should be prepared for possible delays or closures during the winter while crews work to clear highways.

But we have fewer staff this winter for several reasons, which means roadways will look different during storms. Our work, as always, will be prioritized based on safety, resources and our pre-existing plowing priority maps based on volume and/or critical roads.

What to expect:

• Some roads and passes will be closed longer than normal during and after significant storms.
• Some roads will not get the same level or service, may be only plowed minimally or will have snow and ice on the roadway for longer periods of time. Some areas may not be staffed 24/7.
• Especially during large storms or long-lasting ones, we won't have a deep enough "bench" of staff to respond 24/7 for several days throughout the storm.
• Some lanes of the freeway system may have snow and ice while crews focus on keeping just one or two lanes open.
• Lower speed limits in areas with variable speed limits.
• There may be slower responses to crashes and other emergencies, and it may take longer to clear major crashes or slide-offs.
• Less attention to secondary routes and recreation areas as crews focus on higher priority roadways.

Pandemic staffing issues

In a typical, pre-pandemic winter we have about 1,500 people in the jobs tied most directly to winter operations. (Many other staff throughout our agency also provide valuable support, of course).

Staffing has been a challenge for all kinds of businesses and agencies throughout the pandemic – and we're not immune:

• An aging, close-to-retirement staff and pandemic-related hiring freezes, reduced revenue, furloughs, etc. left us understaffed going into last winter. Some of the positions we were able to fill were temporary and not permanent.
• This past year, we've seen a global worker shortage as well as very high demand for some of our key winter jobs, such as diesel mechanics and people with Commercial Drivers Licenses. It's not just in Washington, our fellow state DOTs are seeing the same challenges.
• Some of our open positions – especially mechanics – are a force multiplier because if we can't keep trucks running, that affects each employee who uses that particular plow throughout the day.
• Some of our internal promotions also create a secondary vacancy we then must fill.
• In October, we had some staff leave the agency due to the state vaccine mandate – 5.9 percent agency-wide – which affected the already-low winter operations numbers.

We are actively and creatively recruiting to fill winter operations positions: please check our online site or @WSDOTjobs on Twitter for open positions and read about typical winter work on our 2020 blog.

Crews will be working hard to maintain highways this winter though some roads may not see
the same level of service they’ve seen in the past.

We're also prioritizing work and planning on shifting staff as needed to respond to storms in particular areas. But as of Oct. 19, 2021, of our typical 1,500 winter staffing positions, we were down almost 300 to 1,200 today. And even as positions are filled, training time means there's still a lag before we see increased crews on the road.

Our workers are incredibly dedicated and take the service they provide their communities personally. We know it's tough for them to not be able to provide the same level of service this year. But we simply can't ask these hard-working colleagues to do more with less. Safety is key here – we can't risk staff being injured or equipment being damaged by working crews beyond reasonable limits. It's not safe for anyone.

What you can do

As we do every year, we're asking that the public be prepared for winter conditions, including ensuring their vehicles are ready, packing winter supplies and staying informed about conditions both before and during travel. This year that will be even more important.

One person driving too fast or not having the proper equipment can close a pass down for everyone. In fact, on Snoqualmie Pass most closures are due to crashes and spin outs, not avalanche control work to remove higher mountain snow. So please, be prepared for winter conditions to help keep everyone moving.

We have several options to help you track conditions, including online tools, travel alerts and pass conditions webpages and our 511 telephone travel information line. Please also pack some extra winter supplies (PDF 1.5MB) and be prepared for delays when heading into storms. Keeping the gas tank filled, your mobile device charged and some extra snacks on hand is always a good idea. And remember, if you're unsure about your driving skills or your vehicle during a storm, there's no shame in delaying or canceling plans.

We know road and pass closures are frustrating even during a normal winter. And seeing more snow and ice on roads this winter won't be welcome news. Our crews will be out there, clearing and reopening roads as soon as it's safe to do so, but we also thank you for your patience as they do this work during these unusual times.

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