“This is definitely a lack of winter,” said Justin Williams of the Lino Lakes Public Works Department. “I haven’t seen anything like this before with the warm weather, the lack of snow. It’s definitely unique.”
Lino Lakes fleet of 16 plow operators have been called into action just once so far.
“It was the (Valentine’s) event on the 14th and 15th and we had a full crew in,” Williams said. “We did plow cul de sacs and all the roads and completely plowed all the lots and everything.”
Yes, the winter of 2023/2024 has been almost non-existent in the North Metro. For most cities snow plows and road salt have rarely been used.
Salt mounds
Below Lino Lakes salt canopy in the public works yard are mounds of unused salt.
“Assuming we don’t have any more events, what you see here is what we’ll have on reserve – which is a good amount,” Williams said. “It’ll put us in a better position for next year. Maybe we can budget a little less.”
In a typical year of ice and snow most of this would already be applied to roads. But this has been a salt-free winter, which is a plus for area waterways.
“We’re limiting the chlorides into our lakes, rivers and streams,” Williams said. “It’s good because we’ve had an opportunity to focus on a lot of other operations that otherwise are neglected during busier winter years.”
Of course mild temps can also be good for Lino’s public works budget.
“Snow plowing operations are significantly more expensive,” Williams said. “We’re consuming salt. We’re consuming fuel and oftentimes we’re having overtime. Just not having those winter operations clearing snow could be considered a savings.”
Which color salt is used depends on air temperature after a storm.
“The green salt is treated and does have a lower temperature of which it will melt snow and ice,” Williams said. “The white is regular road salt and that is good to about 10 or 15 degrees for melting.”
Just outside the salt storage area is a black tarp that covers another item used for road treatment.
“That’s our sand/salt mix,” Williams said. “When we have very cold temperatures we still put down sand for traction.”
Williams – who has been with Lino Lakes public works for 18 years – says there is 40 tons of green salt and 80 tons of white salt typically stored below the canopy.
“We’re very busy”
Even though the salt and plows are dormant, the public works crew in Lino is staying occupied.
Said Williams: “We’re very busy.”
They have been taking care of other needs in the city.
“We’ve had an opportunity to work on some of our buildings,” Williams said. “We have been able to do some of spring and summer maintenance with manhole inspections and other sewer and water operations…We’ve had a lot of time to work on trees and hazardous trees. Of course, EAB is in town so we’ve taken a lot of trees proactively.”
Of course, next month the weather could change and plows might be back on the roads. March is typically a time when the Twin Cities gets lots of snow.
