Icy roads force island-wide school closure, fourth this week

All Bainbridge Island School District schools were closed Friday, Jan. 17 due to what officials called “extremely icy road conditions.”

It was the fourth day this week that classes were canceled due to inclement weather and the resulting road conditions, with Thursday being the only exception.

A series of snowstorms across Western Washington earlier this week provided a snowy start to the new year.

On Bainbridge, the snow forced not only schools but many businesses to close Monday, then Tuesday and Wednesday. The Bainbridge library was shuttered through Wednesday, as well.

The weather prompted multiple schedule changes for the city, too.

Officials closed city hall due to the weather on Monday, and the city council meetings planned for Tuesday were postponed.

The regular and special meetings that had been planned for Tuesday were rescheduled quickly, for 6 p.m. Thursday.

The public hearing for the self-storage facilities moratorium, however, will be rescheduled for the Jan. 28 business meeting, officials said.

Hundreds of islanders also endured power outages caused by trees and branches falling on power lines.