The winter weather creates a multitude of uncertainty in local governments. The winter season and its unpredictability is hard on roadways and costly for local governments. Each year, local budgets must account for the snow removal and maintenance costs of the winter season.  Some of these costs are not revealed until the annual assessment of a roadway system is completed. The Knowledge Network provides a plethora of resources on how to deal with this unpredictability.

1. This American City and County magazine article explains how the Maintenance Decisions Support System (MDSS) can help decrease the gap between the information that is being provided to maintenance managers and their decisions.  
2. The ICMA What Works case study on The Town of Fishers, Indiana, reviews how this community pooled resources to get through the 2010 winter season.
3. This article by the Maryland Municipal League highlights snow removal innovations.
4. It’s Not Just about Potholes Anymore shows how an app can provide supplemental information on a local government’s pavement management system.

How does your community deal with unpredictable winter costs? What are some other innovative solutions for dealing with this issue?

Douglas Shontz

ICMA Knowledge Network Intern