Streets will get plowed - it just might take longer

Minneapolis residents can expect the hills of snow left by plows at bus stops to remain for days or maybe weeks longer than normal.

St. Paulites probably won't hear the salt truck rumbling down their residential streets.

In some suburbs, residents will spy snow sitting on sidewalks, trails and neighborhood roads longer than usual.

That's the picture painted by public works officials as cities try to deal with clearing snow and ice in tighter budget times. Cost-cutting measures range from cutting salt usage to reining in overtime to using fewer full-time workers.

Those strategies will likely get a workout now as the season's first significant snowfall is blanketing metro roads.

The net effect of the changes won't be too noticeable in most cities, officials say. In Minneapolis, though, folks will see some differences -- mostly in the time it takes to clear bus stops, corners and residential streets. For lighter storms and follow-up plowing, there will be fewer plows out.

"We might have a longer response time, but we'll get there," said Mike Kennedy of the Minneapolis Public Works Department. He had to cut $1.4 million from an $8.5 million budget this season.

Last year, Minneapolis had 134 workers dedicated to snow and ice. This year, the number is down to 80 full-time workers. Many of the employees who were cut were put on a reserve status, so when a snow emergency hits, they'll drop what they're doing and get to work for the city. Employees in other public works divisions have been trained to drive plows, as well.

"We still believe we can hit the peak needs," Kennedy said.

Minneapolis and St. Paul also will be renting less snow-clearing equipment, officials said.

"We're in pretty good shape for the winter," said Kevin Nelson, St. Paul's street maintenance engineer. "They [residents] won't see a huge difference in the level of service,"

St. Paul has reduced its full-time snow and ice complement by about 30 workers to 55, Nelson said. But he will be able to hire temporary workers during snow emergencies or as needed for big storms to get back to old staffing levels.

He said that main roads will still get the attention they normally do, but that residential streets, aside from intersections, will not be salted. The frequency of plowing shouldn't decrease, he added.

A common strategy for saving money in many metro cities is to hold back on the salt. Blaine and Cottage Grove intend to use less.

Several cities are now using a saltwater mixture to wet the salt so it sticks to the street better and is needed in smaller amounts. St. Paul, which cut its salt purchase by about 20 percent this year, will have 10 trucks outfitted with the liquid dispenser. St. Louis Park and Maple Grove will also use that strategy.

The other thing public works officials are hoping for is, admittedly, out of their control: fewer snowstorms.

In Plymouth 2.5 inches of snow triggers a snow emergency, bringing all plows out. To reduce the number of all-out plowing events, the City Council considered raising the level to 3 inches but decided against the change, said Plymouth Public Works Director Doran Cote.

"The City Council decided this is one of the things that is important to the community and important to the council, so they did not touch the way we do snow plowing. In Minnesota this is one of the services that people want to have at a very high level."

St. Paul officials have talked about waiting to declare a snow emergency until the white stuff stacks up to 4 inches instead of the typical 3, but Nelson said that change hasn't become an official policy. It costs St. Paul about $500,000 per snow emergency, and it budgets about four per year.

It should also be noted that while city workers are handling the streets, residents and business owners in the Twin Cities must keep sidewalks clear -- it's the law in St. Paul and Minneapolis.

Staff writers Laurie Blake and Mary Jane Smetanka contributed to this report.

Chris Havens • 612-673-4148