I couldn’t open my door Sunday morning. I made the mistake of staying in New York City, when I knew the storm was coming, and avoided going back to school. Nearly two-and-a-half feet had fallen at my doorstep and I literally had to dig my way out to get back to Binghamton. Walking to the subway, I found it easier to walk on the sidewalks, where residents had carved paths, than in the street. I began thinking about heated roadways and their potential to completely eliminate the burden of snow.
It sounds weird, I know. But consider a world in which snows storms were no worse for roads than a light drizzle. We wouldn’t succumb to snow days and limited travel. Cities would not grow to a standstill. But most importantly, local governments could save a lot of money.
Last winter, Pipe Dream wrote an article on the massive effort it takes to clear the University’s sidewalks, roads and parking lots. Depending on the size of the storm, between 50 and 230 workers are needed for this massive undertaking resulting in serious expenses, from overtime pay, to salt, to upkeep for the snow-removal rooms. If the University needs this much to clear campus for the average 64.5 days out of the year that it snows, imagine the city of Binghamton; surely, hundreds of thousands — if not millions — are spent every year clearing roads to ensure the Parlor City is not halted to a standstill.
I’m a big believer in long-term investments. Every year, the money spent toward clearing the snow does not invest in ways that help clean it up the following year. While big data has made snow clearing more efficient by tracking how often a certain block has been cleared, it is merely a Band-Aid to a greater issue. Rust Belt cities throughout the Northeast have large budgets for snow removal. Cities like Binghamton could benefit greatly with the freed-up funds. Heated roadways, a large one-time investment, would be effective at eliminating any issues cities face.
When President Eisenhower unified the nation through interstates, cities grew. They were given passageways by which travelers could enter. Yet, throughout Upstate New York and wherever snow falls, these roads are not being used to their true extent to provide for city life. People stay clear of these cities in the winter. I believe the federal government needs to lead the charge on investing in cities with colder climates by laying down heated roadways. When the burden of snow removal is taken off these cities, they become free to reinvest those funds however they see fit. They could begin funding projects like blight development or offer businesses tax incentives to open their doors Downtown. Money could be put back into the community to help rebuild and revitalize it — providing a higher quality of life and greater incentive for it to grow.
No matter at which angle it’s viewed, the snow takes money away from our cities — whether it is in cleanup or from our economy. The United States has found many ways to address national disasters, from building earthquake-proof buildings to levees for cities under sea level. It is time now to address cities burdened with snow — helping them stay afloat in the harshest of conditions.
Lawrence Ciulla is a senior double-majoring in political science and philosophy, politics, and law.