MassDOT already over budget in snow removal

CHICOPEE, Mass. (WWLP) - Despite being just a day away from the official start of spring, we woke up and dealt with plenty of snow Tuesday, which is a problem for the already over-budget MassDOT .

Much of Massachusetts looked like a snowy scene off a Christmas card Tuesday rather than the day before the start of the spring season.

Plows had less snow to clear than in other recent storms, but it's still more than the state bargained for this year.

MassDOT budgeted 45.5 million dollars for snow removal this year. However, even before this last day of winter storm, the cost of street clearing had reached 84 million dollars.

Taxpayers told 22News they understand it's not a mismanagement of money, but rather a guessing game with Mother Nature.

Take a look at the snow removal costs from just the last three years:

Fiscal 2010 - $69.7 million

Fiscal 2011 - $106 million

Fiscal 2012 - $35 million

Marie Cromwell of Longmeadow told 22News, “Last year we had no snow. They had money they saved last year maybe? It is what it is. You can't not plow the roads. It's life in New England. That's why we live here I guess.”

MassDOT is allowed to spend an additional 30 million dollars on top of this year's 45 and a half million dollar budget, but even that wouldn't cover the snow removal before this week's storm.

Keith Campbell of Longmeadow said, “It's an act of God. I don't think there's anything else we can do but deal with it and try to find the money. I heard last night they're looking at other areas to cut the budget to make up the money but there's nothing we can do about acts of God.”

A tough task when lawmakers are already looking for ways to cut costs in order to invest in transportation, education and the economy.