SALT LAKE CITY — Utah's mild winter has left the state's transportation department with tens of millions of unspent dollars in its snow budget, and crews are already putting that savings to work on roads across the state.
The Utah Department of Transportation projected it would spend $30.5 million on snow and ice treatment this winter. So far, the department has spent about $9 million — less than a third of its budget.
John Gleason with UDOT said this has been one of the mildest winters in recent memory. "This has been one of the weaker winters that we've had in recent memory. And so we're much lower in the dollars that have been spent this year," Gleason said.
At the same point last season, UDOT had spent nearly double that amount treating winter roads. But Gleason said the department isn't letting its guard down just yet.
"Now that can go up here in the next several weeks or a couple of months. We'll see those snowstorms sometimes in the mountains until May or June, and so we're always ready to go," Gleason said.
With crews freed from constant snow and ice response, UDOT has been able to get a head start on paving projects — filling potholes and completing road work that typically can't begin until winter ends. Gleason said the dry period has allowed crews to work on making commutes safer and more comfortable for Utahns.
Not everyone is celebrating the lack of snowfall. Salt Lake City residents say the mild conditions, while convenient for driving, are a sign of a deeper problem. "It's kind of been a mild winter, but for the drought reasons, we probably need the snow," Danny Green said.
Green said the lighter traffic conditions have been a welcome change, but acknowledged the tradeoff. "I'm used to horrible Utah drivers driving horribly in the snow, and without the snow, like no traffic, we get in, we get out. Yeah, it's nice. No people off in the ditches. That part's been really nice," Green said.
"These drought conditions have been rough the last few years and it's a great outdoor state, but you know, we need all the seasons and all the cycles working together," Green said.
Matthew Whitby, who said he has lived in Utah for 34 years, called this the lightest winter he can remember. "No, this has been probably the lightest winter that I've seen in my, you know, 34 years," Whitby said.
I asked Whitby how much he thought UDOT had spent treating roads this season. "Given the lack of snow — $7 million," Whitby said.
His estimate wasn't far off. And while the savings are significant, Whitby said he's still hoping for more precipitation before the season is over. "I would hope for more snow, more rain, just we need it, so I would love to see," Whitby said.
DRIVEN TO CHANGE
