Pullman city departments worked Saturday to maintain the city roads, which WSU Police Sergeant Monte Griffin called treacherous. The police closed off some roads and the city worked to clear and de-ice the rest.

There had been no accidents reported through Saturday afternoon. However, there were many calls for disabled vehicles stuck along the road or in a ditch, Griffin said, and this winter has required more of the city than most.

“We actually have increased the amount of salt we put on the roads this year,” said Kevin Gardes, Pullman Public Works director. “This is just more of a real winter than we’re used to.”

Typically the city only occasionally puts salt downtown, Gardes said.

Salt only works when the temperature is above 20 degrees, he said. They mix it with a sand aggregate and put that on the roads and sidewalks, he said.

“We’re using it more,” Gardes said, “but it’s just a tough year for snow.”

Arctic winds may have caused the recent influx of snow, according to a WSU news release.A polar vortex is mostly responsible for the cold temperatures we’re feeling here, but not for the amount of snow, according to a National Weather Service report.

A polar vortex occur when a large area of the North-Pole experiences low pressure and cold air. During the winter, the vortex begins to expand and eventually hits the jet stream. The jet stream brings that cold air down from the north and into the United States.

According to the City Plan for Snow and Ice Control, Pullman prioritizes plowing on the primary streets, which are defined as streets that provide access to life-sustaining services.

Following primary streets, they attend to the secondary streets or non-arterial streets that have a high volume of residential traffic. Then, weather and time permitting, the city begins plowing all other streets and alleys.

“Everything is going pretty well,” said Art Garro, Pullman maintenance and operations superintendent. Garro said crews have started working on clearing the snow out of the residential streets.

Pullman Mayor Glenn Johnson said the biggest problem was the large number of students’ cars parked on the streets over break.

The Pullman Parks Department maintains the city sidewalks, which include main walking routes to schools, Pullman Parks Superintendent Alan Davis said.

“We keep at it as best we can,” Davis said.

The Parks Department is also in charge of snow removal for parking lots downtown and throughout the city, including the Pioneer Center. They are working with private residents to help out as best they can with snow removal in residential areas, Davis said.

According to the Washington Department of Transportation, drivers should decrease driving speed and increase following distances when driving in winter conditions.

Editor’s note: This article has been revised to reflect that Monte Griffin is a WSU police sergeant.