City of Bend outlines winter street plowing, sanding plans

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Winter is on the way, and everyone is getting ready. The city of Bend on Friday outlined its plan for maintaining streets, and offered a winter tips website to help individuals know what to expect.

During winter snow operations, the city’s Streets & Operations Division prioritizes the highest-use streets that accommodate the most drivers and access hospitals, major employment areas, schools and transit routes.

Priority routes receive de-icing, sanding, and plowing first. Get plowing information and maps here.   

During the occasional extreme storms, it may be necessary to stay focused on clearing priority routes, which could mean postponing lower priority routes until the priority routes are safe and open to traffic. Lower-use streets—the local residential streets—are a lower priority. Alleys are not considered priorities. 

Winter weather in Bend can range from inches to feet of snow, and conditions can vary widely in different areas of town. The City plans budgets and resources for the average winter, and adjusts operations for the occasional extreme storms, which can be challenging for everyone.  

The City maintains 865 lane miles with two daily work shifts, 17 snow plow operators per shift and 24 pieces of equipment, from light-duty pickups to medium-duty dump trucks to heavy-duty (two motor graders) with plows. 

To determine what operations are needed for any given storm, the Streets & Operations Division Manager considers many factors – snow accumulation, moisture content, presence of sleet, freezing rain or hail, temperatures and forecasts. One decision is whether to call in contractors to help. Contractors are typically called to help plow local residential roads during the occasional extreme storm events. Streets crews support and collaborate with Police and Fire to provide access for emergency services. 

Go to bendoregon.gov/winter-operations to find plowing and sanding zone maps, Frequently Asked Questions and much more.

Winter Preparation for everyone!

Everyone has a responsibility to prepare for winter and there is more to think about than just the roads. That means getting resources and supplies lined up before the big storm hits.

The City has a one-stop website for a lot of winter preparation tips. Learn what to expect and get information about street plowing, sidewalk shoveling and protecting your pipes and home and more, at bendoregon.gov/winter. 

Worried about driving in the snow? Be sure to peek at the Oregon Department of Transportation’s helpful winter driving guide.