Despite losing more than 600 jobs and closing 19 interstate highway rest areas this summer because of Virginia's budget crisis, Virginia Department of Transportation officials say they have the manpower, materials and equipment to keep the roads clear of ice and snow this winter.
In fact, officials say VDOT has increased its money for snow removal by about $4 million.
"We wanted to make sure we had the resources this winter, so we cut in other areas to assure that we can have an emergency response this year," said Jeff Caldwell, VDOT spokesman. "We've basically held our [snow removal] budget harmless so that we can provide the services that may be necessary."
VDOT officials have a $79.6 million snow-removal budget for state-maintained roads this winter, VDOT officials said. Another $14 million is budgeted for snow and ice removal on roads maintained by the state through interstate maintenance contracts.
More than 3,000 crewmembers will be standing by to handle snow removal needs with more than 2,300 pieces of equipment, 62,000 tons of sand and 239,000 tons of salt at the ready, officials said.
VDOT funds include money spent for anti-icing techniques that VDOT began using last winter to prevent roads from getting slick. Crews apply a variety of chemicals including salt brine, magnesium chloride and calcium chloride at the report of a pending storm to keep ice from bonding to the road.
VDOT's goal is to have all roads passable within 48 hours of a snowfall, Caldwell said. Priorities for snow removal are interstate highways, primary roads and major secondary roads that connect localities. Roads connecting fire stations, employment hubs, military posts, schools, hospitals and other important public facilities follow.
Crews will focus on heavily trafficked roads and treat secondary roads and subdivisions in the event of multiple-day snowstorms.
In July officials announced cuts to the VDOT budget designed to help offset a predicted $2.6 million deficit. Those cuts included 45 Central Virginia employees and more than 800 future projects as well as shuttering rest areas.
Officials tried to avoid cutting day-to-day services by slashing jobs in those divisions that planned new roads, routes and projects. Other cuts occurred in construction, inspection and management divisions, environmental sections, location and design planning, and rights-of-way and equipment shop divisions.
"As far as the resources we need to keep travel as safe as possible this winter, our resources in equipment and personnel are about the same or more than we had before the budget cuts," said Lou Hatter, Central Virginia VDOT spokesman.
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