A prolonged, precipitous New England winter is driving up snow removal costs and straining budgets across Southern New England cities and towns.
Leaders of municipalities across the region said that the harsh winter is placing unusual financial strain on municipal services, with costs rising for salt, sand, snow hauling, and contractor labor. Officials warn that ongoing winter weather conditions are widening budget gaps, forcing cities to reallocate funds or rely on overtime and reserves to cover snow and storm-related cleanup costs.
In Warwick, Rhode Island, the Department of Public Works faces a tight snow-removal budget. It expects overtime costs to extend beyond the winter for future cleanup and possible flood or hurricane response. While Warwick has a respectable fleet of trucks and labor to help with sidewalk and road snow removal, the city still has limited snow-removal resources and equipment…