Updating snow removal budgets in Pikes Peak region as spring approaches

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- We're halfway through the state's snowiest month of the year and less than a week from the start of spring, which is a good time to check on where local municipalities stand on their budgets for snow removal and road treatment for the season.

Much of southern Colorado has had more smaller storms than large blizzards, which could mean a more frequent use of salt, sand and other materials if not actual plowing -- and we'll likely see more snow in April, possibly even in May.

However, street and road crew supervisors in El Paso and Teller counties said that they're using less of their materials and reducing overtime for plow drivers this season -- primarily because of unusually warm, dry weather in late fall and early winter.

"We've expended around 8% of our annual budget," said Corey Farkas, a manager for Colorado Springs Public Works. "We were able to stock up on all of our materials at the end of the year, without depleting any of them. We've got an order in because we're already starting to see those materials deplete, and we want to get them in before we have any shipping issues."

Andrew Hayes, public works director for Pueblo, said that the city has spent around half of its snow removal budget.

"We've got some flexibility within the department to move those things around," he said. "In worst-case, we go back and seek approval for an additional budget if it's required for an emergency beyond our planning. But we almost never need to do that."

Kevin Mastin, public works director for El Paso County, calls this snow season the best his department has ever had.

"What I mean by that, is our snow removal operators are working as small teams, going out and pro-actively attacking where the snow's coming down and trying to get on things as quickly as possible," he said. "It's been a much more efficient snow season."

Officials said that having a surplus of resources will come in handy if late-season storms arrive, as well as giving them a head start on next year's snow season.

The Colorado Department of Transportation said that it expects to spend its entire $10.5 million snow removal budget this season because snow events tend to even out -- with snowier mountain passes and higher elevations compared to less snow at lower elevations so far this season.