Heavy snow, shrinking budgets pinch snow plowing

Over on Michigan in Pictures today, there’s a post about Michigan road salt & salt mines that you might find interesting. The Traverse City Record-Eagle certainly found road salt & plowing to be an interesting subject. They have an editorial that looks at how $4.50 a gallon gas caused a shortfall in the per-gallon gas tax revenues that fund winter road plowing and maintenance has coupled with soaring salt prices and worker layoffs:

The result has been a nightmare for area drivers. Winter has come on like a lion, with nearly 2 feet officially recorded for Grand Traverse County already but much, much more in many areas. Maple City recorded more than 9 inches on Saturday alone.

…Not doing what it takes right now to ensure safety is not a viable option. Asking motorists to risk their lives and the lives of their passengers to compensate for a budget shortfall is not an equitable trade-off.

Michigan lawmakers must make this and other road problems a top priority when the new Legislature starts work in January. Until then, however, road commission managers must do the right thing now and fix the budget later.

The picture is snow plow – m 72 by Billie K67, part of his Pics from the Car set.