Bainbridge Island crews are gearing up for winter.

During a major storm, the Operations and Maintenance team provides 24-hour coverage, using 12-hour shifts from noon to midnight and midnight to noon.

“This means that they are away from their families working in harsh conditions,” city manager Blair King says.

If snow is coming, crews pre-treat streets with anti-icer to prevent ice from forming. When snow falls, crews plow their routes and treat the roads with salt. Their goal is to keep the roads reasonably clear of snow and ice.

The city has a Snow and Ice Control Plan that includes primary and secondary streets for response. Streets are prioritized based on the volume of traffic, speed limits and classification of the road. Crews focus on Priority 1 streets then move to Priority 2.

If there’s constant snow, crews continue to operate in the Priority 1 routes until they are clear before they move to Priority 2 streets. Crews work on neighborhood roads after primary and secondary roads are cleared.

In his weekly report, King says sand and salt brine have been ordered. On average, BI spends $100,000 per year responding specifically to snow and ice work.

During severe weather, BI uses Nixle, a free text and email notification system, to provide updates on road closures, downed power lines or other emergent issues. It is the city’s official emergency notification and alert system. Sign up for Nixle by texting 98110 to 888777 or at nixle.com.