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KCDOT continues to respond to windstorm damage The storm started with torrential rains on Thursday, and the Roads maintenance crews began responding to multiple calls for flooded streets and blocked storm drains. By late evening, the wind had picked up and was causing power outages throughout the county. Dark intersections created delays for bus service, and the roads crews began getting calls about downed trees and downed power lines. They responded immediately to close roads (see photos). “It was really dangerous out there for our crews late Thursday night and early Friday morning,” said Maintenance Superintendent Tony Ledbetter. “But we had to get out there, because if we’re not out there closing roads and putting out barriers and flares, it could become very dangerous for the public.” The high winds – clocked at over 70 mph at some King County locations – also created problems for Metro Transit. At 2 a.m. Friday morning, the power supply had to be shut off to the overhead trolley wires that crisscross through the city of Seattle. Diesel coaches were substituted, so that service could continue on all 16 trolley routes while repairs were being made. “It was just too dangerous to the public to have downed trolley wires that were still live. We had to shut the entire system down,” said Jerry Rutledge, manager of Transit Power and Facilities.
In addition to the repair crews, Metro service supervisors were constantly in the field assessing road conditions to make sure each route was operable. Many base staff worked without heat to get the buses dispatched and repaired over the weekend. The Rider Information staff handled high call volumes in assisting bus passengers with reroute details. And, the radio coordinators worked extra hours to process all the incoming information and get the right people to the right places. Power was restored to the entire trolley system by Sunday evening. Although there were delays, and some runs had to be skipped, almost all Metro routes were in operation throughout the storm and its aftermath. By Monday morning, other than detouring around still-closed roads, the buses were pretty much back on schedule. At the height of the response on Friday and Saturday, there were more than 200 Roads employees either out in the field or in the office doing support work such as answering phones. The division fielded more than 415 citizen calls from Thursday through Sunday. The Roads Division is continuing to coordinate with Puget Sound Energy (PSE) to get roads reopened as quickly as possible. Once the PSE crews can move the downed lines and poles, then the Roads crews can get in to cut up the trees and remove debris. In addition to their regular roles during the storm and cleanup, KCDOT employees also assisted other county departments and outside agencies in responding to this most recent emergency. Some of those activities include:
“Much of this work has been beyond normal work schedules, and in challenging conditions,” KCDOT Director Harold Taniguchi told employees in an email today. “I am very proud of the way we have responded to the region’s needs.” |
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