SALT LAKE CITY - The Utah Department of Transportation has been working hard this winter season to keep roads clear as storm after storm rolls over the state.
The agency must also keep an eye on their budget. They said they have about $21 million budgeted and plan on about 20 to 25 storms a year.
"We'll continue to do what it takes to get it done and that's one of the reasons why we watch our budgets very closely to make sure that we have enough until the end of the year," said Adan Carillo, UDOT spokesman.
UDOT crews have used 400,000 gallons of fuel so far this season. It has cost the agency about $1.3 million to fuel their 510 plows statewide.
There are also costs associated with maintaining the equipment and paying overtime to crews working long hours.
"We have been asking a lot of our workers. They've responded very well by keeping our roads open and operational. We're doing all we can do to keep their hours down and keep safety as our top priority," said John Montoya, UDOT East District Engineer.
The agency has used approximately 95,000 tons of salt, costing about $2.5 million. Carillo said they get most of the supply from the Great Salt Lake which has helped keep the cost lower than what neighboring states often pay.
According to Carillo, on average, storms cost the agency about $1 million.
