Program Description

  Weather Response

This program supports the County's mission to provide an effective and efficient transportation system to ensure the safe and convenient movement of persons, bicycles, and vehicles throughout the County in response to winter snow storms and severe wind/rain events. Beginning with FY25, the name for this Non-Departmental Account has changed from "Climate Response" to "Weather Response." Budgeted funds for this program support the costs for the Department of Transportation and Department of General Services when actual expenditures exceed their individual snow removal and storm cleanup budgeted amounts, which is a circumstance that occurs every year.

The snow removal and storm cleanup program is an integral part of coordinating the response to emergencies and severe weather events through the preparation, active response, and post storm/emergency cleanup. Tasks performed during these operations include snow pretreatment, roadway snow removal, sidewalk snow removal, salt application, post snow storm street sweeping, wind and rain storm debris removal, and immediate emergency repairs to damaged and unsafe infrastructure. Emergency operations often require rapid deployment of resources to clear debris/snow to ensure all transportation systems are passable for emergency first responders and the travelling public. During emergency events, this program operates the Storm Operations Center which monitors and coordinates real-time activities Countywide with Fire and Rescue, Police, Emergency Management and Homeland Security, local utility companies, and other County agencies and local jurisdictions as needed. The primary goal for the emergency response component of this program is to keep the County residents and traveling public safe, while providing reliable access to the extensive transportation network. Emergency operations under this program are funded by approximately 50 percent of the program's proposed budget. Actual annual costs associated with the emergency response activities regularly exceed the approved budget by over 900 percent; therefore, expenditures over the budgeted program amount are covered by the Weather Response Non-Departmental Account.