MONROE - As winter overstays its welcome into spring, expenses to cover snow removal and road maintenance in the area are at or over budget.
As of Tuesday, March 19, the last day of winter, the Green County Highway Department's winter maintenance expenses were just $1,400 shy of the five-year average seasonal budget of $700,100.
Department head Jeff Wunschel expects expenses to go over budget soon.
February and March have been the costliest months in the county. December and January, in comparison, both stayed well under budget. Wunschel's department in February went $63,000 over the average budget for the month and, barely three weeks into March, is $77,400 over the average for this month.
More snow is predicted this weekend.
Tom Jean, head of the Lafayette County Highway Department, didn't have current budget numbers available when reached Monday. But he said the 2012-2013 season is shaping up to be a "high-priced winter."
"We'll just have to make it up in the summer," he said.
In the City of Monroe, the streets department is "probably right at budget" for snow removal costs, said supervisor Tom Boll. He didn't have up-to-date numbers readily available when reached Wednesday.
A series of recent thaws and freezes left potholes on city streets, and Boll said his crews are filling them as the holes are reported. "We seem to be keeping up with those OK," he said.
Inches of snowfall is only one factor in predicting labor hours and other expenses for winter road maintenance. Extreme variances in temperature and high winds all require extra work, Wunschel said. High winds cause even small amounts of snow to drift, and big changes in temperature can cause dangerously icy conditions.
One weekend in February was particularly nasty, Wunschel recalled. Several mild days of rain turned freezing with a sudden temperature drop followed by a 1-inch snowfall. The resulting mixture of ice and snowy slush was a headache to handle.
"That 1 inch of snow probably cost us two and a half days of labor," he said.
Sometimes the highway department is no match for Mother Nature. Salt doesn't reliably melt ice at temperatures below 15 degrees, Wunschel said. In those cases, his crews just have to wait it out and hope for the sun to come out.
"You're just battling to keep the roads passable," he said.
As of Tuesday, March 19, the last day of winter, the Green County Highway Department's winter maintenance expenses were just $1,400 shy of the five-year average seasonal budget of $700,100.
Department head Jeff Wunschel expects expenses to go over budget soon.
February and March have been the costliest months in the county. December and January, in comparison, both stayed well under budget. Wunschel's department in February went $63,000 over the average budget for the month and, barely three weeks into March, is $77,400 over the average for this month.
More snow is predicted this weekend.
Tom Jean, head of the Lafayette County Highway Department, didn't have current budget numbers available when reached Monday. But he said the 2012-2013 season is shaping up to be a "high-priced winter."
"We'll just have to make it up in the summer," he said.
In the City of Monroe, the streets department is "probably right at budget" for snow removal costs, said supervisor Tom Boll. He didn't have up-to-date numbers readily available when reached Wednesday.
A series of recent thaws and freezes left potholes on city streets, and Boll said his crews are filling them as the holes are reported. "We seem to be keeping up with those OK," he said.
Inches of snowfall is only one factor in predicting labor hours and other expenses for winter road maintenance. Extreme variances in temperature and high winds all require extra work, Wunschel said. High winds cause even small amounts of snow to drift, and big changes in temperature can cause dangerously icy conditions.
One weekend in February was particularly nasty, Wunschel recalled. Several mild days of rain turned freezing with a sudden temperature drop followed by a 1-inch snowfall. The resulting mixture of ice and snowy slush was a headache to handle.
"That 1 inch of snow probably cost us two and a half days of labor," he said.
Sometimes the highway department is no match for Mother Nature. Salt doesn't reliably melt ice at temperatures below 15 degrees, Wunschel said. In those cases, his crews just have to wait it out and hope for the sun to come out.
"You're just battling to keep the roads passable," he said.