Amid criticism and concern, ACHD has released its plan to handle the historic snow fall in the Treasure Valley.  Read the details here.

The National Weather Service reports that Ada County has been hit with a soon-to-be record storm event not seen since the mid-1980s – creating challenges for Ada County motorists as well as ACHD’s snow response crews. The District would like the public to know the response plan:

1. ACHD is now and will continue to plow and treat all ACHD priority routes: arterial (big) roads/collectors (mid-size) roads, and major Intersections, overpasses and bridges, areas around hospitals/fire stations, railroad crossings, areas around schools, and streets with grades of 6 percent or more.

  • The forecast is for the storm to end at 11 p.m. on Wednesday, January 4th
  • Our goal is to complete treatment within 24 hours after the end of the storm event – although our full fleet of snow removal equipment is out now and has been since 2 a.m.
  • We expect to complete plowing and other treatment by 11 p.m. Thursday, January 5th

2. Next, ACHD will plow and treat all school bus priority routes

  • Beginning at 11 p.m. Thursday, January 5th
  • Estimate to complete work is 12 hours – 11 a.m., Friday, January 6th

3. Next, ACHD will plow priority routes – those streets connecting to smaller neighborhood streets – within residential areas.
•    Beginning at 11 a.m. Friday, January 6th
•    Estimate to complete work is 24-48 hours

As of 10 a.m. today, the National Weather Service reported a foot of snow on the ground at its office, coming close to the 13 inches received during the December 2, 1985 snow event. With snow continuing to fall, meteorologists expect a 31-year-old record to be broken.

In response, ACHD has fielded its entire fleet of 58 pieces of equipment, which includes:

  • 37 plow trucks
  • 5 road graders
  • 14 anti-icing units
  • 2 loaders
  • In addition, ACHD has contracted 6 private road graders and will have another two contracted graders plowing streets by this afternoon.

While ACHD is doing all that it can to maintain drivability on local streets, we join law enforcement in asking motorists to slow down, leave more follow distance between your vehicle and other traffic and expect it to take longer to get to destinations.

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