Snow removal cost Anchorage $4M more this winter than last

Anchorage spent about $4 million more on snow removal last winter than in each of the previous two winters, but $5 million less than a winter five years ago with record-breaking snowfall, according to data provided by the city.

This year's snow maintenance price tag reflects a cost-cutting decision to haul away less snow near the end of winter, city manager Mike Abbott said.

He said the data is clear: "Snowy years are much more expensive than nonsnowy years."

From October to April, an official 82.4 inches of snow fell, amounting to $10.8 million in snow removal expenses, according to data provided by Abbott.

The previous two winters, the city spent a combined $13.7 million for 63.4 inches of snow. But in the single winter of 2011-12, when 134.5 inches of snow fell, the city spent more than $16 million on snow maintenance.

Inflation would make those disparities even larger, Abbott said.

He said the city wanted to compare the most recent winters as well as an above-average snow year. The data was compiled by an employee in the city's public works administration, he said, who polled other departments about their snow removal expenses.  

The data broke down into four categories: roads, which includes city-maintained roads as well as rural roads where the residents pay special taxes for snow removal; facilities, which mostly includes parking lots; the parks department, which also refers mostly to parking lots and not trail maintenance, according to Abbott; and utilities and other city enterprises.

Anchorage pays a base amount every year to maintain a professional snow removal crew. That includes equipment, training and maintenance facilities.

The price tag balloons as the amount of snow increases, for overtime, extra fuel and more maintenance on equipment, Abbott said. A mix of city employees and contractors works on snow maintenance.

Abbott said the city is estimating roughly $500,000 in extra snow maintenance expenses is tied to a dispute with the state over rent for a West Anchorage snow dump. The city has managed the state-owned snow dump for decades, but the state started demanding rent this year, and Mayor Ethan Berkowitz refused to pay.

That meant the only public snow dump in West Anchorage was largely off-limits this winter. The state allowed the city to use the snow dump for free again in March, but most of the winter's snow had fallen by then, Abbott said. He said there's no indication the city will be allowed to return to the snow dump for free next winter.

Abbott said the city hauled less snow in February and March to save money. Some residents noticed, Abbott said, complaining about piles of snow not being hauled from cul-de-sacs as it might have been in the past.

The concerns ranged from a loss of parking spots in the center of the cul-de-sac to diminished access for emergency vehicles, Abbott said.

While the city has saved money in its snow budget in recent winters, Abbott said he didn't expect that to be the case this year.

He said the city may need supplemental funding for snow removal if there's a lot of snow October through December, though he added there's no way to project that.

"It definitely is a concern, but it's not unusual for that to be a concern," Abbott said.