King County is gearing up for a snowy-icy winter this year, but with fewer resources to battle the elements.

Since higher elevation snow can come early to parts of King County, road crews have already completed their winter plans and are ready to respond when the first flakes fall. This season, the King County Road Services Division will have about 13,000 cubic yards of sand, 600 cubic yards of salt and 45,000 gallons of anti-icing material stockpiled at 10 field offices throughout the county. It also has a variety of equipment ready to go to combat snow and ice. During significant snow, crews will be placed on 12-hour shifts to provide around-the-clock response.

And, as of Nov. 1, maintenance workers once again will be assigned overnight shifts through the winter to respond to storms and other road problems.

Despite losing responsibility for roads that have been annexed by cities over time, the actual number of snow routes maintained by the county has changed very little in recent years. King County is still responsible for nearly 1,300 miles of snow routes linking cities, suburban and rural areas all across the county.

Yet, heading into this winter season, county officials say the Road Services Division will have fewer resources available for response than in past years due to budget reductions.

During minor localized snow events, the division intends to bring in crews from non-affected areas of the county to help keep roads clear.

However, during a significant regional snowstorm, the shifting of county forces may not be possible. As a result, snow removal will focus primarily on major arterials and routes that carry the most traffic. Crews will likely have less ability to plow neighborhood streets and some roads in steep hilly areas may need to be closed if snowfall is significant.

The county advises residents to make sure make sure they have a full tank of gas and their vehicle has tires that offer optimal performance in snow. Finally, the best advice of all may be to postpone travel, if you are able, officials say, when a major storm strikes.