Storm Causes School Closings, Delays

Slush Remains on Streets

In Frederick, a walker takes cover in Baker Park as sleet begins to fall. The Maryland Highway Administration has already gone over its snow budget. (By Katherine Frey -- The Washington Post)

In the end, Sunday's snowfall wasn't much of a storm in a season that, so far, hasn't been much of a winter.

But tons of salt, legions of trucks, gallons of gasoline, tanks of brine and the hours and hours of overtime still cost, and states and municipalities across the area are now looking at seriously depleted snow-removal budgets, with spring still almost four weeks away.

In Northern Virginia alone, transportation officials had 1,015 trucks and 1,200 workers plowing, salting and sanding during the storm.

In Howard County, "we're broke," Public Works Director James M. Irvin said of his snow budget. "We were broke before we started."

It was the same for the Maryland State Highway Administration.

"It's been a late, sloppy winter," spokesman David Buck said. "We've had some weekend storms, which is beneficial for crews doing their jobs, but it makes for a more expensive storm."

In Anne Arundel County, the year's snow removal cost was almost $700,000 over budget -- before Sunday.

In the District, even though there have been only two serious storms, the city had to mobilize crews for eight other minor weather "events" this season, noted Erik Linden, Department of Transportation spokesman. And all but $1.2 million of the city's $5.2 million annual snow budget has been spent or committed, he said.

Before Sunday's storm, the Maryland Highway Administration, which maintains almost 17,000 miles of roads, had already exceeded its $21 million budget by more than $9 million, Buck said.

Breaking the budget is relatively common in Maryland, where for eight of the past nine years the agency has required additional help from the General Assembly.

"It's not an inexpensive venture to keep the roads clean," Buck said. "It's really not an option to throw your hands in the air and say, 'Okay, we're done.' "

He said several weekend storms like Sunday's pushed up costs because they involved paying hundreds of employees overtime to clear roads. The icy weather, as opposed to plowable snow, has also increased costs.