Do the math, one road at a time

Let’s throw some facts into all the complaining I have been hearing and reading over the past few weeks regarding Snohomish County and the snow removal.

Snohomish County road maintenance is responsible for 1,600 miles of two-lane roads from Darrington to Maltby and from Everett to Index. This equates to 3,200 miles of one-lane-at-a-time snow removal done by a crew of 150 people, 35 snow plow/sander trucks and three motor graders. These crews worked 24 hours a day, 12-hour shifts, seven days a week for 14 days straight.

In addition to the snow removal crews, the county had approximately 32 equipment maintenance personnel repairing equipment and about six operators who hauled sand to the base yards for dispersal.

If your solution is more equipment, here are a few more facts: Each dump truck costs $110,000; each sander is about $30,000; and each plow about $7,000. So, if each taxpayer is willing to pay for all the additional equipment and manpower that would be needed in the event of a reoccurrence of this magnitude, then let’s vote for higher taxes. Keep in mind, however, that all this new equipment will have to sit somewhere until it would be needed in another 20-30 years.

A huge thank you to all the workers who had to get to these jobs, who missed the holidays with their families, and who ate Christmas dinner in their trucks. Great job!

JoAnn Williamson

Machias