BIA Snow Maintenance

Each year we seem to get a snowfall or two in Tacoma, but usually not quite like this.  On the way in this morning I saw our BIA maintenance team working hard to keep downtown rolling for those businesses that were open.  This raised the question of how does the BIA respond when the snow falls?

The BIA's first responsibility is to prevent flooding on streets.  This can often happen when a stormdrain gets clogged with snow.  When the crews showed up early this morning, they first went throughout the area clearing the drains.  With the continuous snowfall throughout the day, they've been back clearing drains where needed.

Once the drains have been cleared, the crews have been removing snow from in front of the open retail establishments.  Since there are 84-blocks within the BIA, this can take some time.  As the crews move throughout downtown, they are clearing a path from the front door to the street, not the entire sidewalk.  With the constant snowfall, the BIA has been trying to get salt onto the icy sidewalks as well.

The BIA is only one piece of the puzzle in keeping downtown moving during snowfall.  The City, building managers, and businesses all play a role as well.  This means everyone pitching in as they are able.

The BIA will be back at it early tomorrow morning after what could be another interesting night.  If you see a drain causing trouble or we missed your business, please let us know and we will try and make sure we get to you.