Leap Day storm in photos

Posted at 2:08 PM on March 1, 2012 by Michael Olson (0 Comments)
Filed under: Minnesota, Snow, Weather

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Snow plowing costs way down

Posted at 11:09 AM on January 26, 2012 by Mark Steil (0 Comments)
Filed under: Snow

MPR Photo/Jennifer Simonson

Minnesota's snow plows are getting a break this winter. Although there's been some significant moisture in the last couple of weeks, the season's still memorable for how little precipitation there's been.

State Department of Transportation officials say through the end of December they spent about $14 million on snow removal. That's less than half the $32 million cost for the same period a year ago, when spending set a record.

In central Minnesota, Kandiyohi County has spent at most $25,000 this winter on plowing costs, compared to more than $500,000 by this time last year.

Even northern Minnesota is seeing some historic snow deficits. In Roseau County neare the U.S. border with Canada, county highway engineer Brian Ketring said while there's white on the ground, "you can see the grass poking through."

Ketring said county snow plows have been out on the roads only two or three days this winter. He said one longtime resident told him the last time he saw this little snow was 71 years ago, in 1941.

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Blizzard app aims to help drivers survive storms

Posted at 11:16 AM on November 29, 2011 by Dan Gunderson (4 Comments)
Filed under: Law enforcement, Roads, Snow, Technology, Weather

MPR file photo

North Dakota State University extension is offering a mobile app for drivers who get stranded in a winter storm.

The Winter Survival Kit app is designed to determine your exact location, notify law enforcement, calculate how long your car will run on the gas in your tank, and alert you when it's time to clear the tailpipe to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.

The app was created by Myriad Devices, a company based in the NDSU Research and Technology Park incubator in Fargo with funding from the USDA.

The Winter Survival Kit app also has tips on what to pack for winter survival gear and advice on winter driving skills. But does the app tell you when to stay off the road?

NDSU says the app is available free for Android and Apple devices.

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Living snow fences help keep roads open

Posted at 11:15 AM on November 22, 2011 by Mark Steil (0 Comments)
Filed under: Farms, Snow

A living snow fence in southwest Minnesota

Snowplows are not the only thing that help keep Minnesota highways driveable in the wintertime. Farmers sometimes leave cornstalks standing near highways, and 'living snow fences' are also becoming more common. A living snow fence usually has several rows of trees, bushes and grasses. The idea is to let the plants catch blowing snow before it reaches the road.

Mark Larson with the Minnesota DOT in Windom in southwest Minnesota, says farmers are paid $700 an acre to let corn stalks stand. He says interest in the program has "gone down a little bit" in recent years because the price of corn has risen. Farmers figure they can make more money by harvesting the grain than by letting the stalks stand.

Larson says the living snow fence idea is catching on, but the concept still has a long way to go. Although the state has identified more than 1,200 miles of highways with chronic snow drifting problems, only about 30 miles of roads are protected either by standing corn rows or living snow fences. There are state and federal programs available to encourage land owners to plant protective vegetation.

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DOT adds up record winter as snow disappears

Posted at 2:33 PM on April 1, 2011 by Mark Steil (0 Comments)
Filed under: Roads, Snow

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says snow plowing and removal costs for the past winter have set a new record.

Through March 15, the DOT has spent $71.8 million to keep state roads open and drivable, DOT state maintenance engineer Steve Lund said.That tops the 2008-09 mark of $67.4 million.

Lund said the total could be close to $80 million before the last flake falls. He said the DOT has had to do more work on snow since mid-March, and another storm is forecast for Sunday and Monday in central and northern Minnesota.

"It's been a memorable winter," he said.

Each of the DOT's eight districts are planning their summer maintenance programs now. However, the above-average snow plowing costs could reduce what they can do this summer.

Lund said all major road construction projects will go ahead as planned. But each district has small pavement touch-up jobs they like to do in the summer. Some of that maintenance likely will be scaled back because of the heavy snows.

The DOT will also review its winter time work once warmer weather arrives.

Lund said officials like to look back to see what worked and what didn't work. That helps them get ready for the next round of cold weather.

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DOT nears snow plowing record

Posted at 6:00 AM on March 7, 2011 by Mark Steil (0 Comments)
Filed under: Snow

The snowy winter is costing the Minnesota Department of Transportation a lot of money for plowing operations.

DOT state maintenance engineer Steve Lund said spending so far exceeds the winter of 2008-09.

"I'm expecting we will surpass our '09 record year," Lund said.

Through mid-February the DOT had spent nearly $60 million on snow plowing operations. Two years ago, the DOT had spent about $52 million by that point, on its way to a winter total of over $67 million.

This year is almost certain to top that, and may have already done so. That's because the latest number does not include the big February 20-21 snowstorm. Snow fell across a large part of Minnesota during that event, with some locations measuring nearly 20 inches.

The total snow plowing bill for an event like that can easily be $5 to $10 million dollars, Lund said. The department also has all of March yet to get through. Forecasters say another major storm is likely this week.

But there will be no cutbacks in snow plowing operations because of budget considerations.

"Snow and ice is such a significant priority for us that it gets first service," Lund said.

However, the high winter bill could affect some road work planned for next summer. He said no decisions have been made yet, but some DOT districts could reduce road patching operations or take other steps to offset their high winter costs.

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