Minnesota Department of Transportation says clearing winter roads cost $133 million

Last winter was long and harsh, and the Minnesota Department of Transportation (MnDOT) said Wednesday it was pretty expensive, too.

In one of the most severe winters in the past decade, MnDOT spent $133 million to clear roads throughout the state, an increase of 7% over the previous year. With a population of about 5.6 million, that cost Minnesotans about $23.75 each.

"With the fifth-largest roadway system in the country and more extreme weather conditions than most states, it costs a lot of money to maintain transportation infrastructure and keep people moving in Minnesota," MnDOT Commissioner Margaret Anderson Kelliher said in a statement.

More than 97 inches of snow fell from October 2018 through mid-May, a long period that proved especially trying for MnDOT. Plus, there were record low temperatures from the polar vortex in January.

Jed Falgren, acting state maintenance engineer, said snowfall alone doesn't tell the whole story. In addition, road and air temperature averages were down while hours of freezing rain increased, he said.

The $133 million figure covers materials, labor, equipment and other costs to keep the roughly 30,000 miles of state roadways clear.

MnDOT snowplow drivers logged 620,218 hours in regularly scheduled time to clear the roads. On top of that, some 198,107 overtime hours were reported, more than double the amount the previous winter.

Still, MnDOT used less road salt throughout the season, in part because it deployed various organic and chemical liquids to stretch the supply and tackle specific road conditions. For example, Beet Heet, a syrupy product made from the molasses of sugar beets and chlorides, is used to enhance the performance of brine and rock salt.

In its Winter Maintenance Report, MnDOT highlighted one telltale week in southern Minnesota beginning Feb. 20.

First, 8-10 inches of snow fell from southwest Minnesota to the Twin Cities and across to Wisconsin. Two days later, a blizzard hit much of the same area, adding more than a foot of snow with 40-55 mph wind gusts and below-freezing windchills.

Snowdrifts up to 8 feet high caused parts of Interstate 90 and Interstate 35 to shut down that weekend. Still, drivers tried to take to the highways, leaving many stranded vehicles.

Janet Moore • 612-673-7752