Threat of Snow Costly Despite Lack of Measurable Snow in the D.C. Area

Checking up on local snow budgets

Even though not much measurable snow has fallen in the D.C. area this winter, local road crews have been busy with just the threat of something serious.

In Virginia, VDOT deployed winter crews close to a dozen times and has spent $19 million of its $55 million snow budget in northern Virginia.

"There's a big effort to stage crews now, to stage everywhere on the interstates and neighborhoods, on secondary roads, so that we’re more prepared during rush hours,” said Jennifer McCord, of VDOT.

In the District, the city budgeted about $6 million for winter weather and has spent about $2 million of that.

Maryland’s been hardest hit. The state highway administration budgeted $41 million statewide to battle snow and has already spent about $35 million of that.

A combination of weather in the western part of the state and repeated deployments in the D.C. area have gobbled up the budget, according to the highway administration. The SHA maintains it has enough resources to get through the rest of the winter.

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