What did winter storm Blair cost Topeka?
Editor's Note: The City of Topeka says Director Steve Groen has not made recommendations to buy more trucks, hire more staff or hire more contractors as previously reported. The city says it will provide more context at the next City Council meeting on Feb. 4. We apologize for the error.
TOPEKA (KSNT) - In early January, northeast Kansas was blanketed with history's third-largest single-day snowfall. What did it cost the city?
From Jan. 4-5, the City of Topeka saw 14 inches of snow during the winter storm Blair blizzard. Starting on Jan. 4, city crews started working 24-hour operations in 12-hour shifts. Crews worked until Jan. 13 plowing streets and treating for ice in residential neighborhoods.
27 News submitted a Kansas Open Records request for details on the cost to the city.
In total city crews:
- Worked 3,966 hours.
- Used 19,900 gallons of liquid ice melt.
- Used 3,614 tons of salt.
- Drove 28,196 miles.
According to the Kansas Open Records request, the total cost for equipment, labor, materials, contractors and fleets was $972,685. Those costs were broken down to:
- Fleet cost: $48,296
- Salt used: $318,490
- Salt brine used: $1,990
- Labor cost: $361,176
- Equipment cost: $242,732
According to a PowerPoint presentation written by Public Works Director Steve Groen, obtained through the records request, it was reported that the city could've had better communication with the public, had a real-time map showing truck locations, notified businesses to move cars ahead of the storm and had engineering staff inspect contract work sooner.
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