With the possibility of snow in the forecast this week, here’s a reminder of snow-plowing priorities in the City of Mountlake Terrace.

While the aim is to clear roads for all Mountlake Terrace residents as quickly as possible, plowing is based on priority routes. The first goal is to clear main roads to accommodate police, fire and medical services. In addition, priority will be given to public transportation, school buses and commuter traffic. Once city crews have completed that work, they will move to secondary roads, and lastly, neighborhoods.

If snow continues to fall and accumulate, all removal efforts will return to main roads and restart the process.

Some safety reminders:

– Keep a minimum 50-foot distance between your vehicle and snow removal equipment.

– If it is safe to do so, yield the right of way to snow removal equipment.

– Do not pass the plow.

– If at all possible, avoid parking on the street.

– Avoid unnecessary travel

Mountlake Terrace homeowners and business/property owners are responsible for clearing snow and ice off driveways and sidewalks near their property, including the ridge of snow left along the edge of driveways by the snowplow. The city will not plow driveways.

Property owners who plow snow or have it removed from their property are not permitted to place the snow in the public right-of-way. You must accommodate removed snow on your own property or make arrangements to have the snow removed to another location.

The city also advises property owners to help clear catch basins to make way for runoff from melting snow and avoid pooling water.