Public Works

Seattle road crews aren't clearing snow and ice from streets this year. They are packing it and covering it with sand. That follows a decision not to use salt on the roads. Salt is very effective in clearing ice, officials admit, but they say it is bad for the environment. But if you don't have a front-wheel drive vehicle, you can't get around that well. Oh, and many environmental scientists say that sand is actually worse than salt because it clogs sewers and pollutes waterways.