Getting Around in Winter Weather

Driving  

Don’t drive if you don’t have to. If you must drive, make sure your vehicle is ready.  

• Have winter supplies in your vehicle.
• Have tire chains or traction devices.
• Know the road conditions before you go.
• Clear your entire vehicle of snow.
• Drive slow and allow plenty of time and space between other vehicles and people.  

See more winter driving tips here. 

Closed Street 

We plow a set network of critical arterial streets throughout the city of Seattle to ensure emergency vehicles and transit can continue to operate when winter storms arrive. We do not plow or salt treat residential streets or less traveled on and hilly streets. At the start of winter, we store STREET CLOSED signs on street corners. When Seattle Police Officers decide a street could be unsafe for travel, they move the signs to the middle of the street.    

Please obey all street closures and detours. 

Traffic Lights 

If a traffic light is out or flashing, treat intersections like a 4-way stop.  

Plowed Roads 

We work around the clock to clear 1,200 lane miles of critical streets for buses and emergency services. 

Learn more about our plowed routes and our real-time plowed road map.

Take Transit  

If you can, take transit instead of driving. SDOT works closely with King County Metro to ensure bus routes are passable. Other transit options include Sound Transit Link light rail and the Seattle Streetcar.  

• King County Metro – Snow Routes
• Sound Transit – Winter Transit Page
• Seattle Streetcar
• Additional Transit Options 

Bike Safety 

• Dress for the weather and safety with reflective clothes, lights, and a helmet. 
• Be extra cautious as road conditions can change at an instant and you and drivers may need extra time to stop

Pedestrian Safety

• Use caution when walking or rolling, as sidewalk conditions may be slippery when covered in snow and ice. 
• Be aware that it can be harder for people driving to stop quickly in snow and ice conditions.

Reporting Issues 

Emergency Street Repairs 

To report urgent street maintenance issues, please call (206) 684-ROAD.

Find It, Fix It App 

Report non-urgent requests, such as clogged storm drains, traffic signal issues, and streetlight outages using our Find It, Fix It mobile app available from the Google Play Store and the iPhone App Store.