MnDOT Spent Record Amount Last Winter to Clear Roads During Severe Weather

We may be in the heart of summer during a massive heatwave, but one state organization has been looking back at last winter and how it was one for the record books.

The Minnesota Department of Transportation says they spent nearly $174 million to clear highways during the 2022-23 winter season, which is the most ever spent for snow and ice operations. It’s also nearly 25% higher than the most recent five-year average.

MnDOT crews also faced the most severe weather conditions in Minnesota in more than a decade. The statewide snowfall average was 90.2″, and our winter severity index was 164 – both those figures are higher than they were for the 2021-22 season.

Combined, MnDOT snowplow drivers worked 850,000 regular hours and overtime this season, which is more than 100,000 hours more than the previous winter.

MnDOT also used more liquid materials on Minnesota highways during the winter than ever before, adding up to more than 14 million gallons.