The city of Wilmington owns two snowplows and two salt-sand spreaders that can be attached to the back of a truck, spokeswoman Malissa Talbert said.
The city also has three tanks that put out a liquid-salt mixture, she said.
“The city generally works cooperatively with the N.C. Department of Transportation during a snow event, determining who will be salting and plowing what roads so there is not duplication,” Talbert said.
N.C. DOT operates the majority of snow-removal equipment in the area, she added.
The cost to taxpayers to maintain snowplows in Wilmington is minimal, Talbert said.
“The snowplows require very little maintenance due to low usage and the fact they don’t have a lot of wearable moving parts,” Talbert said.
The initial cost of each plow was $8,300, installed. The plows have a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. The amortized cost over 15 years equals $553 per year, Talbert said.
“There is some cost associated with purchasing salt or brine, but that gets more to operational costs than maintenance,” she said.
To date this season, the city of Wilmington has purchased 30 tons of salt, at a cost of $83.50 per ton. The city also purchased 90 cubic yards of sand at a cost of $4 per yard.
Related links:
Why do we close schools/government offices whenever there’s even a hint of snow?
How do I convert snowfall amounts to corresponding rain equivalents?
When was the last time Wilmington had a white Christmas?
Date posted: January 15, 2011
User-contributed question by:
chris woolridge
NEED TO GET MORE SINCE THERES LOT OF ROADS AND HIGHWAYS TO COVER INSTEAD OF HAVING JUST 2 OF EACH SINCE WERE GETTING TO BE A BIGGER TOWN ALSO THE WEATHER STATIONS ON NEWS NEEDS TO BE MORE ACCURATE SINCE BEFORE 2 STORMS WE HAD THEY WERE NOT ACCURATE ABOUT IF IT WOULD SNOW OR NOT ALSO SAID THERE WERE NO SNOW EXPECTED TO STAY ON THE GROUND WHICH IT DID! FROM NOW ON I DONT WATCH OUR LOCAL WEATHER ON NEWS SINCE 24 HR WEATHER CHANNEL ON CH 41 IS MORE ACCURATE AND KNOWS WEATHER PATTERNS THAT COMES HERE ARE MORE ACCURATE THAN OUR LOCAL WEATHER STATIONS HERE N TOWNS LOCAL NEWS! WEATHER CHANNEL ON CH 41 PROVIDES CLOSED CAPTION AT ALLTIMES WHILE OUR LOCAL NEWS DONT COVER WITH CLOSED CAPTIONING AT ALL WHICH IS A SHAME BECAUSE HEARING WORLD GETS TO HEAR ALL OF WHATS GOIN ON OVER DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING!!!! WE NEED TO HEAR EQUALLY FOR BOTH SIDES AND NOT LEAVE DEAF OR HARD OF HEARING COMMUNITY AND ELDERLY OUT! THANKS!!!!!!
Why are you yelling?