Cities across the United States are struggling to keep up with the record-breaking snowfall this winter, and Minneapolis is no exception.
The Public Works Department has announced that it expects to go over budget this year due to the additional snow emergencies and cleanup efforts.
This winter has been especially long and costly for Minneapolis, with the city experiencing six snow emergencies so far and possibly more to come.
The department typically budgets for three to four snow emergencies and 52 inches of snow per year, but this year has far exceeded those numbers.
The department is still calculating its numbers, but it expects to have to work with the City Council to bring in funding from other areas of the city’s budget.
This situation could also have an impact on future budgets, as officials may need to ramp up their budgeting for snow and cleanup efforts if this trend continues.
Despite this, officials in Albertville report that this winter has been a little warmer than usual, which has helped with road salt usage.
However, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency is concerned about the amount of salt being used this winter and the potential problems it could cause later on.
Overall, this winter has been a difficult and expensive one for cities dealing with the heavy snowfall and cleanup efforts.
