Mild winter means big savings for Philadelphia-area governments
LINDENWOLD, N.J. (CBS) -- Snow lovers hate it, but for many local governments, a mild winter means big savings -- and that's good news for drivers.
The cold may be coming this weekend, but so far it's been pretty mild in the Philadelphia area.
In Camden County, the Department of Public Works is prepared for when a big storm hits. It bought more than 5,000 tons of salt before the season, but this pile has barely been touched, and that means sweet savings.
For the first time this winter, the Delaware Valley recorded measurable snowfall.
It wasn't much and didn't last long, but it was a sight Jamie Ray was happy to wake up to.
"It'd be nice to see the snow, kids outside playing, no school no work," Jamie Ray, of Vorhees, New Jersey, said.
The Lehigh Valley and the Poconos have seen several inches of snow this season, but in Camden County, plows are sitting in the parking lot, barrels of brine are practically untouched and the county has barely used any of the salt in its six salt barns.
"We're talking about almost $1.2 million," Commissioner Al Dyer said. "That we can utilize for some other things in the county."
Dyer calls a mild December and January a blessing.
He says the county has saved on gas, less overtime for drivers and less maintenance on plow trucks and hopes this money-saving winter continues.
"We can use those savings to help with roads and bridges and help with our pothole initiative," Dyer said.
Across the bridge, PennDOT told CBS News Philadelphia $26 million dollars has been allocated for the winter budget.
Only about $8.5 million has been used so far.
PennDOT says it's also saving on manpower and materials, and any extra money will be rolled over into spring and summer operations.
"The less salt we use, obviously, the less we have to order," Brad Rudolph, of PennDOT, said. "We're ordering very little salt right now. That's savings right there."
Now, PennDOT and Camden County are hoping the rest of winter doesn't bury their bottom line.
Charles Devers says he's happy the little snow we saw Wednesday morning already melted.
"It's great, we're getting off easy this year the past few years we've been getting pounded with snow," Devers said.
So millions of dollars have already been saved, but we still have a lot of winter left.
PennDOT says February and March are the two months that typically bring the most trouble.
