Update: Per a response from Mayor Walsh’s press secretary, Boston has spent $16.1 million of the $18.5 million allotted for snow removal.
The new year brought with it some 53-inches of snow and counting. As anyone traversing the roadways and walkways of Boston can attest, growing snowbanks due to the wrath of mother nature can make removal and prevention a strenuous affair not just on laborers but on the city’s respective snow removal budget as well.
We opened up the books to take a look at how much the likes of Winter Storms Hercules, Janus, Pax and Rex drained the budget when there’s a substantial likelihood that we’ll see more fluffy white powder fall from the skies, including that which is coming down as I type.
According to the FY 2014 Adopted Budget, which includes city budgetary measures from July 1, 2013 through June 30, 2014, the City of Boston has set aside a respectable and approximate $18.5 million which “provides for the purchase of salt and sand, plowing and hauling of snow by contractors, purchase and repair of snow removal equipment, and financing for regular City personnel engaged in snow removal operations after normal working hours.”
How much of that has been put to use, though, is something of a mystery. BostInno emailed the Public Works Department to find out whether or not the city has been forced to blow through its budget, or if there’s plenty for the snow that’s sure to fall between now and the springtime but have yet to hear back.
An exchange on Twitter failed to render any results either.
@NickDeLuca1 We’re checking into it and will follow up. Thanks.
— City of Boston (@NotifyBoston) February 19, 2014
That was the end of that.
But that’s not to say the City of Boston isn’t doing its part when it comes to snow removal. Mayor Marty Walsh as made snow – and the parking and traffic issues that accompany it – a priority even taking part in a mock snow emergency meeting prior to assuming office in City Hall.
Similarly, his Chief of Staff Dan Koh has taken steps to modernize the response, removal and prevention process to better prepare the city for the throes of winter while engaging residents citywide. In this capacity, Boston has been able to aply report weather forecasts in realtime while plowing streets that can, though rarely, get overlooked by the hundreds of pieces of snow removal equipment that help keep the streets clear.
Snow removal across the great Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a different story. Michael Verseckes of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation told BostInno that the state budgeted a cool $43 million though all of that, and more, has already been spent.
According to data sent to BostInno, MassDOT has burnt through $74 million to date.
“We had initially budgeted $43 million for snow and ice clearing,” Verseckes told BostInno in explaining the snow removal budget process. “There is pending legislation that would allow the agency to deficit spend up to an additional $50 million. And if costs exceed those two figures combined, the agency will seek additional supplemental funding to cover the difference after the winter passes.”
But that’s hardly an annual occurrence. The erratic nature of New England weather can often leave the Bay State underprepared but also overprepared. Continued Verseckes, “Budgeting for the winter is challenging considering how unpredictable the weather can be – while we’ve had close to two dozen snow storms this year, however, two years ago, we ended the season with a budget surplus.”
To better digest how MassDOT came to spend such a hefty amount of money, take a look at the table below. In the meantime, stay tuned to BostInno for the latest information concerning the weather as well as state and city snow removal budgets.
