Legislators are setting aside nearly 10 million more dollars to cover a shortfall in the state’s road budget that was caused by all the snowfall and ice this winter. Senator Matt McCoy, a Democrat from Des Moines, says salt was more expensive this year, and the D.O.T. had to use a lot more of it.
"Salt increased in price $4 a ton this year and I think we needed about 40 percent more salt and sand this year than we typically use in an average Iowa winter," McCoy says.
A transportation spending bill which has cleared the Senate and is awaiting House consideration includes the extra spending for snow and ice removal. "This was a record, historic snowfall. I see Dubuque had 76 inches which set an all-time record for Dubuque and I know Des Moines had the snowiest winter on record than at any time in the past 50 years," McCoy says.
Not only did the D.O.T. face higher costs for the salt and sand used on the state’s roads, but snowplow drivers racked up a lot of overtime clearing the roads this winter.