When the Puget Sound area receives an unusual amount of snow, it is normally the east side that is slammed the hardest.

So when the King County Roads Division spends September and October testing snow-removal equipment and ordering winter supplies such as sand, they concentrate on areas near the Cascades mountains.

But the storms that hit in December were different and snow removal efforts had to be more evenly distributed around the county, according to Linda Dougherty, the county's roads director.

"We try to stay aware of all the micro-climates throughout the county," Dougherty said. "I think the west side surprised us all."

Burien's public works department began discussing and compiling priority routes before any snow hit the ground.

These routes included 116th, 128th, 136th, 146th, 152nd and 160th streets, among others.

Major roadways and arterials were given priority as well as routes to hospitals, according to public works director Stephen Clark.

But by Thursday, Dec. 18, a thick new layer of snow made transportation nearly impossible for those without chains or studded tires.

"We began working around the clock that Thursday to clear priority roadways and arterials," Clark noted.

The crew working to remove snow from the roads was made up of employees from Superior Asphalt Maintenance and King County.

Burien contracts out to the county and private companies.

The county has 27 snowplows that spread a salt and sand mixture as they plow. They have nine road graters used just for plowing and a few sanding trucks, Dougherty reported.

"We even had a snowplow-fitted dump truck operating in Burien," Dougherty added.

King County also provided service to North Highline unincorporated areas.

Dougherty said they had no choice but to work 24-hour days.

Clark did receive some calls complaining that the plows pushed snow into the parking spaces and sidewalks that the business owners had cleared. But in dealing with the large amount of snow, his crew could do only so much to remedy the situation, he added.

Clearing parking spaces and public sidewalks are a shared responsibility between the city and the business owners, according to Clark.

But the continuing snowfall made it a challenge to keep snow from building up in shopping areas such as Southwest 152nd St., he acknowledged.

Freeways such as state Route 518 are the responsibility of the Washington Department of Transportation.

Clark noted that high volumes of traffic and higher speeds helped keep SR 518 clear.

However, Clark said, "I really did not find any difference between (SR) 518 and (Southwest) 152nd (Street)."

As the snow began to dissipate, Burien was faced with excess levels of water and snow slush.

Clark said storm drains were cleared of sand and many side streets sanded. But, many areas didn't see relief until the snow-packed roads cleared naturally.

"We are now dealing with potholes created by the ice," said Clark.

The rubber-tipped blades used to clear away fresh snow protect roads from traditional blade damage yet leave behind compacted ice and eventually potholes.

Clark noted the city considers environmental factors but places public safety as its highest priority in dealing with the snow.

While many residents grew tired of the snow rather quickly, Clark and his snow-removal crew continued to work around the clock.

"We may not have been able to clear all side streets but I am very proud of these guys," said Clark. "They gave up their holiday for us."