The calendar may still say fall, but Mother Nature has put the Puget Sound region on notice that winter could arrive early this year.

With flooding in October and a cold snap during the first week of November, the King County Department of Transportation has already responded to winter weather conditions, keeping transit and traffic moving.

Local leaders launched the annual "Taking Winter by Storm" campaign last week to urge residents to do their part to prepare for winter’s worst. From record-setting rainfall to snow and wind, this is shaping up to be a particularly early and active season in the Northwest. While King County escaped the worst of the storm, the cost of responding to just the October flood and cleaning up afterward totaled approximately $2.5 million.

"Last month, counties to our north were hard hit by flooding and high winds. Next time, it could be us," King County Executive Ron Sims. "But when that day comes, all of the training this region has received this year will pay off. Never before have agencies been so prepared to help so many in our neighborhoods and communities."

Preparedness starts home, and King County residents are urged to have emergency supplies on hand including: a portable radio; flashlight; fresh batteries; emergency cooking equipment; non-perishable food; drinking water; essential medications; and a first aid kit.

Here are some tips, if you have to be on the road in adverse weather:

• Allow ample time to reach your destination;
• Equip your vehicle with all-season tires and carry tire chains;
• If you must abandon your vehicle, park it clear of travel lanes to allow sanding trucks to get through. Cars left in travel lanes may be towed and impounded;
• Dress for the weather in case you become stranded and have to walk;
• Use caution when following a snowplow or sander by allowing at least two car lengths distance;
• Warn children about the dangers of sledding on hilly streets.

Both Metro Transit and the Road Services Division have their own list of chores to prep for bad weather. Sand and salt are already stockpiled at Roads maintenance facilities around the county. Huge tire chains for buses have been inspected and are ready to go. Staffing has been adjusted for early-morning inspection of icy roads. And, snow routes for buses has been reviewed and updated.

In addition to operational readiness, technology is once again playing a role in emergency response. The "Taking Winter by Storm" Website and Regional Public Information Network (RPIN) continue to keep residents in the Central Puget Sound informed when bad weather strikes with breaking news from 52 partner agencies.

The nationally recognized service not only provides the public with one-stop shopping for centralized information on the Internet – it also has the ability to reach residents quickly with important breaking news and instructions via e-mail or pager when storms or other incidents occur.

The "Taking Winter by Storm" Website provides handy links to weather information, traffic conditions, and a variety of topics that can help everyone prepare and cope with the worst weather. Seattle, King County and WSDOT are also sponsoring a recorded information line at (206) 205-6700 that provides a variety of phone numbers residents can call to obtain information before and during bad weather.

Earlier this year, Metro demolished several warehouses along Sixth Avenue South to make room for the expansion. Many of the materials recovered from the demolition will be recycled and used in the construction of the new project. That includes pulverized concrete that will be used for fill under the new construction. Also salvaged were 200,000 board feet of huge support beams milled from old-growth trees. The wood was carefully removed from the demolished buildings and sold for reuse.

Overall, more than 90 percent of the material from the warehouses – including soil and metals – will be recycled or reused.

Project wraps and project starts are a focus for the November edition of "Inside Transportation" that begins airing on King County Civic Television on Tuesday, Nov. 11. Stories include: completion of three big Road Services Division projects; the arrival of new buses for Metro Transit; a new partnership for the King County International Airport; an update on regional transportation solutions; and gearing up for winter road conditions.

"Inside Transportation" is shown on Tuesday nights at 5 p.m., Wednesday mornings at 5 a.m., and various other times during the week.

The brochure includes the "Ride Right" code of conduct, on-board visual monitoring systems, safety and security features of a typical Metro bus, tips for a safe ride, emergency procedures, and information on how to report problems. Look for the brochure on buses and other locations where Metro timetables are available.