The Streets and Grounds Division of Public Works responds to snow and icy weather based on the City's Ice and Snow Plan. Staff plows and de-ices streets on a priority level, beginning with primary arterial streets, followed by secondary and auxiliary routes. You can click on the snow route graphic below to view a PDF map of which streets are considered primary, secondary or auxiliary:
City of Tacoma Snow Routes
Crews clear one lane of traffic in each direction on these prioritized routes, and the time required to work through the primary, secondary and auxiliary routes depends on the intensity of a particular snow storm and how much snow or ice is on the road.
Pierce Transit and the Public Works Department have worked together to make sure that transit routes are ready for winter weather, and residents are encouraged to use public transportation during storms and leave their personal vehicles at home. Pierce Transit snow information can be found at: http://www.piercetransit.org/alerts/snow.htm
Additional information about how to prepare for winter weather can be found at: http://www.govlink.org/storm/
And more winter weather links can be found on the City's inclement weather page.