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UDOT to dip into contingency funds to continue removing snow

(Rick Egan | The Salt Lake Tribune) A snow storm hits downtown Salt Lake around 3:00 on Friday, March 8, 2019.

Salt Lake City • Utah Department of Transportation officials say the agency is close to meeting its budget for snow removal and is set to dip into its contingency funds.

KUTV reported Wednesday that UDOT spokesman John Gleason says the agency, as of last Friday, had spent about $24 million of the $24.1 million budget.

Gleason says when budget funds run out, the agency can dip into the maintenance fund, which right now has about $2 million.

Dipping into the contingency fund could delay other transportation projects slated to be done in the spring — like shoulder work and guardrail repair.

Gleason says every statewide storm costs about $1 million between equipment and paying crews to run it.

If UDOT runs out of contingency funds, it can request more money from the legislature.

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