The feared “Snowpocalypse” may have missed Bellevue, but a few inches of snowfall blanketed the city Wednesday.
State and local officials have deployed all their resources to try and fix up the main roads and highways for a possible return to a congested commute Thursday morning.
Wednesday though, thousands of people in Bellevue and throughout the state heeded advice to take a day off.
“It was nice how many people heeded the advice to stay home today,” said Bellevue Utilities Deputy Director Mike Jackman. “It makes a huge difference in being able to get out and do the snow plowing and deicing.”
Snow began falling in Bellevue at around 2 a.m., but crews were already out arming the city with rounds of deicing material and salt. Jackman said plows followed the city’s priority map, but the snow fell so rapidly Wednesday that many of the main roads were covered.
Jackman called the main roads “passable but difficult” after 3 to 6 inches fell in various parts of town Wednesday.
Empty roads led to fewer accidents throughout the day, but freeways around the state didn’t fare as well. The number of crashes and spinouts throughout the day statewide was in the hundreds, according to the Washington State Patrol. Washington State Department of Transportation representatives reported at least eight crashes or disabled vehicles before 2 p.m. Wednesday on State Route 520, Interstate 90 and Interstate 405 near Bellevue.
The I-90 express lanes were shutdown from 10 a.m to approximately 2 a.m. as a “snow squall” interfered with the transition from west to east, said WSDOT spokeswoman Jamie Holter.
Holter said people need to continue to be careful as the temperature is will likely drop even more overnight.
“Anything that is wet right now is going to freeze,” she said.
Allied Waste trash collection has been delayed much of the week, and the company decided to close its offices Wednesday morning.
Tuesday night, threats of snow forced the Bellevue School District to close all its facilities, as well.
For more information, or to report hazardous roads, water main breaks or flooding, call Bellevue utilities at (425) 452-7840.
