SEATTLE — The major snowstorms of the past two weeks that have left many side streets still covered in snow days later has prompted the city of Seattle to rethink its snow removal policy.

Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels, facing criticism from many frustrated residents over the lack of snow removal, has ordered the Seattle Department of Transportation to begin using salt as a tool to clear major arterials during future snowstorms.

Salt will be used if more than 4 inches of snow is on the ground or predicted, if ice is predicted or if extreme cold is expected to last longer than three days. Its use will still be restricted to hilly roads, major arterials, major bus routes and primary routes to hospitals and other emergency facilities and any other roads deemed critical by the DOT.

“People were frustrated, and so was I,” Nickels said.

Gee, I wonder why?

Tourists need to stay far away where it is SAFE.

Its been dumping snow for the past several days here in Colorado. The ski report was 39 inches over the past 72 hours at 6AM but it never stopped all day long. Loving it!

(but seriously – and the other posts were in jest.)

Sigh…. I spent my afternoon after getting off the snowboard slopes pushing tourists vehicles out of the parking lot. Hey people, my two friends and I arent the only ones capable of helping others out here in the world!!!

I’ve never seen so many tourists just drive right off of mountain roads and into snowbanks. Or drive in ice/snow wihout chains, snow tires or even a snow shovel….. jeez. When the government is not the problem, then sometimes you have to take responsibility for yourself.

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/12/24/MNIR14PSQF.DTL&type=green

As long as there is money to be made, so-called enviromentalists will be there with their con games. The MSM, meanwhile, caters to the scams.

On December 23rd, 2008 at 5:46 pm, Common Sense said:

Dude!

You can DIE, because Denver is surrounded by 10000ft cliffs on all sides!!!!!

Denver is NOT surrounded by 10,000ft cliffs! Denver is on the plains, NOT in the mountains!

IT IS TOO!!! Please dont mislead the tourists into a death trap. Cliffs are everywhere. And avalanches. Tourists need to stay far away where it is SAFE. We can only wish we had as good of weather as Buffalo. Its a special breed of people that can live in Denver and only ones with special winter survival skills.

And the sun…. the sun never shines either. Seattle has more sun worshipers than Denver.

The salmon are so important that you can only fish for them on only a few special days (depending on type).

Yet the same people that want them protected also want the sea lions protected that feast on them by the hundreds outside the locks and fish ladders!

The automatic legal standing of environmentalists is ruining this country. The human race cannot exist without using and exploiting our environment, therefore we too deserve automatic standing.
All environmentalists should be sent out into the wilderness, stripped of anything obtained from the environment and see if they can survive overnight!
That would shut them up!

You are never held accountible for the tripe you spew.

How about some lawsuits, Seattle. Start suing your local government and their economic advisers for creating this mess and to pay for damages.

Come on Seattle. All that coffee should be keeping you awake and alert to the crap they are feeding you.

In Mass this past weekend we got hit with two big, messy snowstorms. While my daughter and I were out Christmas shopping I asked her how many Smart cars were on the road….

Answer: none

Bingo!

bilgerat, you get the Gold Star.

On December 24th, 2008 at 9:42 am, NJ-Aviator said:
For the good of the rest of the country, I think it’s time we put a fence around Seattle. We must keep the contagion from spreading.

way too late for that…the country will become Detroit…look at the places where liberals rule…disasters…

coming soon to a country near you!!

it was fun while it lasted…

Slick roads, accidents every couple blocks, police unable to quickly respond to calls, sky-high insurance rates, polution from the sand, … but, Hey! The coffee is good!