(The Center Square) – The South Dakota Department of Transportation has slated a budget increase of $2.7 million more than last year for winter highway maintenance after spending double the budgeted amount last winter.
Multiple weather events a year ago taxed resources, Transportation Secretary Joel Jundt told the South Dakota Transportation Commission in a meeting Thursday. Funding was given approval.
“The 2022-23 winter season was definitely one for the record-books,” Jundt said. “Our South Dakota Department of Transportation winter maintenance staff (and those behind the scenes) worked countless hours to keep South Dakota’s interstate and state highway system clear and safe in some of the toughest winter weather conditions experienced in recent years.”
Severe winter weather was measured also in the duration of storms. An “unprecedented” number of rescue missions were made to save people stranded on roadways, according to the secretary.
The department said it spent $40.9 million on winter highway maintenance last year, more than $20.4 million over budget. This year’s fiscal plan is approximately $23.2 million for snow and ice control and snow removal.
When asked if the department has historically set aside money during light winters to utilize during future winter storms, representatives said the budget gives them the authority to spend up to that amount and if they don’t use their full budget, the funds remain in the State Highway Trust Fund.
South Dakota has anywhere from 2,000 to 3,000 winter-related crashes each year, Director of Operations Craig Smith told the commission. Among those crashes, about 30 to 55 result in serious injuries and the state has had at least 10 fatal winter-related crashes annually over the past three years, said Smith.
“In response to challenges experienced last winter SDDOT is working to improve communication and messaging to drivers,” said Jundt.
After the challenges posed by multiple winter events, the department added a new page to its website to serve as a resource hub for drivers and emergency personnel, according to the Jundt. Secondary highways are more likely to be closed under certain conditions to avoid drivers becoming stranded on those roads like last year.
“Due to last year’s winter we had a lot of issues with stranded vehicles, people using their navigation apps more than I think we’ve had before, maybe it was due to some of the winter, but we are going to have a process in place this year where we’d use a similar process for interstate closures that we would close those non-interstate routes,” said Smith.
