Heather Curtis

WMAL.com

WASHINGTON – Winter seems to be hibernating this year, and people aren’t exactly complaining, especially state and local departments in charge of snow removal.

MDOT hasn’t spent this little on snow removal in 15 years according to spokesman Charlie Gischlar.

Of the $61 million budget for snow removal, the department’s spent $36 million, including $15 million on plow blades, salt and other equipment. While some of the budget went to pre-treating for potential storms in the D.C. suburbs, most paid for snow removal after storms on the Eastern Shore, Southern Maryland and the Western mountains.

Fairfax County’s Department of Public Works has spent about $350,000 to date of its snow removal budget.

“Compared to last year at this time when (winter storm) Jonas came through and blew the whole budget, I think that was about a $2.5 million storm, we’re sitting pretty good right now,” said DPW spokesman Matthew Kaiser.

Snow captains in Fairfax County and Gischlar warn that winter isn’t over yet. While it’s been short sleeve weather the last few days, snow may still be in our future.

“Are we confident now, well, every day that goes by, the sun angle gets a little steeper, but there’s western Maryland, and March has a tendency sometimes in Maryland to come in like a lion, so we’re prepared for it,” Gischlar said.

Gischlar said there hasn’t been money left over from the budget in about 20 years. If there is a surplus at the end of this winter, the department will decide what to do with it.

In Fairfax that money would go back into the general fund and isn’t something that can be re-allocated towards trail or sidewalk maintenance done by the DPW.

Copyright 2017 by WMAL.com. All Rights Reserved. (WMAL file photo/Heather Curtis)