NYC Deploys Massive Snow Removal Operation

- New York City's record for the most snowfall from a single storm is 26.9 inches, set during the blizzard of February 11-12, 2006. Other historic storms include the "Great Blizzard of 1888," which brought the city to a standstill with 22 inches of snow and 50-foot drifts, and a 1947 storm that dropped 26.4 inches. - The city's snow removal budget is determined by a formula set in the City Charter, which averages the actual removal costs from the previous five fiscal years. For fiscal year 2023, the Department of Sanitation (DSNY) had a snow removal budget of $96.2 million. - The cost-per-inch of snow removal fluctuates significantly based on total snowfall due to high fixed costs for preparation. In 2011, a year with over 60 inches of snow, the cost was about $2 million per inch; in 2020, with only 4.8 inches, the cost rose to $12 million per inch. - A major snowstorm can have a significant economic impact, with one 2015 estimate suggesting a city shutdown for a storm could cost about $200 million in economic activity. The primary losers in a shutdown are restaurants and hourly wage earners whose lost business and work cannot be recouped. - The DSNY's strategy dictates that plowing operations begin once snow accumulation surpasses two inches. The department uses a vast fleet that includes specialized equipment like smaller "haulster" plows for narrow streets and V-plows for areas with significant drifting. - While the DSNY is responsible for clearing over 19,000 lane-miles of roadway, the law requires property owners to clear their adjacent sidewalks. Owners must create a four-foot-wide path within four hours if the snow stops falling between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. - The city's response is a multi-agency effort involving the Department of Transportation, the Parks Department, and the NYPD, all coordinated through the Emergency Operations Center. For severe storms, the city also activates contracts with outside equipment providers to supplement its own fleet.