billski
Active member
The state Department of Transportation will plow all the roads this winter that it normally would, despite releasing a plan earlier this year in response to state budget cuts that called for less snow removal.
... "Based upon this feedback the Department will not be modifying the winter maintenance policy for this coming snow season."
The plan had called for a 6 percent reduction in winter maintenance that would have cut back on plowing "low-volume roads during off-peak travel hours."
...
While snow plowing will stay the same, the transportation department will roll back other services due to budget cuts, and eliminate 68 positions.
Roadside sweeping will be reduced by 80 percent, as will highway drainage maintenance, according to a department release. Guardrail repair will go down 60 percent. Nearly all street lights on the state highway system will be discontinued with the exception of the minimum required at interstate ramp locations. Sixteen bridges on the state's "red list" due to poor condition will be repaired in the next two years, as opposed to 30 removed from the list in the previous two years.
Mowing will be cut by 75 percent and only accomplished using state equipment as opposed to contracting it to private companies, Clement said. Traffic control for painting operations will only be performed by state highway maintenance employees, saving $300,000 from hiring temporary workers but also taking employees away from other highway maintenance efforts. The centerline strip on low-traffic state routes will be repainted every two or three years as opposed to every year.
Tree trimming expenses will be cut by 65 percent by only performing work when there is a pressing need to remove hazardous trees, instead of taking pre-emptive measures. Similarly, road shoulder construction will be cut by 90 percent by only doing work when a hazard is identified.
Transportation officials had argued against the Legislature's decision to allow a car registration surcharge to expire that would have raised $90 million over the next two years, most of which for road maintenance and other projects. Gov. John Lynch had proposed continuing the fee, which first took effect in 2009 and added between $30 and $75 to the cost of car registration. Republicans felt getting rid of the surcharge would provide financial relief for residents.
"People understood there were necessarily going to be some cutbacks in the state budget when the Legislature moved to provide relief to New Hampshire citizens by eliminating the surcharge," Moore said.
Source: Manchester Union-Leader, September 24, 2011
... "Based upon this feedback the Department will not be modifying the winter maintenance policy for this coming snow season."
The plan had called for a 6 percent reduction in winter maintenance that would have cut back on plowing "low-volume roads during off-peak travel hours."
...
While snow plowing will stay the same, the transportation department will roll back other services due to budget cuts, and eliminate 68 positions.
Roadside sweeping will be reduced by 80 percent, as will highway drainage maintenance, according to a department release. Guardrail repair will go down 60 percent. Nearly all street lights on the state highway system will be discontinued with the exception of the minimum required at interstate ramp locations. Sixteen bridges on the state's "red list" due to poor condition will be repaired in the next two years, as opposed to 30 removed from the list in the previous two years.
Mowing will be cut by 75 percent and only accomplished using state equipment as opposed to contracting it to private companies, Clement said. Traffic control for painting operations will only be performed by state highway maintenance employees, saving $300,000 from hiring temporary workers but also taking employees away from other highway maintenance efforts. The centerline strip on low-traffic state routes will be repainted every two or three years as opposed to every year.
Tree trimming expenses will be cut by 65 percent by only performing work when there is a pressing need to remove hazardous trees, instead of taking pre-emptive measures. Similarly, road shoulder construction will be cut by 90 percent by only doing work when a hazard is identified.
Transportation officials had argued against the Legislature's decision to allow a car registration surcharge to expire that would have raised $90 million over the next two years, most of which for road maintenance and other projects. Gov. John Lynch had proposed continuing the fee, which first took effect in 2009 and added between $30 and $75 to the cost of car registration. Republicans felt getting rid of the surcharge would provide financial relief for residents.
"People understood there were necessarily going to be some cutbacks in the state budget when the Legislature moved to provide relief to New Hampshire citizens by eliminating the surcharge," Moore said.
Source: Manchester Union-Leader, September 24, 2011
). At least the roads will be plowed.
