Plows finally hit the streets

COEUR d'ALENE - Street crews were out in full force early Wednesday morning, clearing roads as Coeur d'Alene's first major snowstorm of the season dumped several inches of snow.

Street Superintendent Tim Martin said 19 operators maneuvering five plows, four graders, and four loaders set out to clear the city's 500-plus miles of streets, starting about 4 a.m.

"We'll be working around the clock until we've covered the entire city," Martin said, adding he expects to finish the citywide plow by noon today.

So far this season, the city has only had to break out the plowing equipment twice. The first time was when the region was hit with a much lighter snowfall earlier in the season, but that did not require a full-scale snow removal.

This particular storm did require a full citywide plow, however.

An average winter season usually has the street crews out seven times to clear the streets.

Martin said the actual cost for a full citywide plow is hard to quantify this year because he is working with new equipment that is more fuel-efficient.

With the old equipment, he said, the city spent $4,000 to $5,000 in fuel alone to plow the streets, and there is an added cost in bits for the plow blades and chain repairs.

"In a typical year we would do seven citywide plows and average $10,000 to $12,000 on bits and chains," he said. "And then roughly $35,000 to $40,000 on fuel."

He said the lack of snow this winter has definitely saved the city money.

"Of course winter isn't over, so we really can't say exactly how much we saved yet," Martin said. "And snow conditions mean a lot, too. With a big heavy snow, the equipment is working harder so the costs tend to go up."

But with how things look now, it appears the savings could be in the thousands.

"We have certainly been lucky," he said. "We have gone months without snow."