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Mild Winter is Good News For Construction and Public Works Department

By Rachel Ousley

Story Created: Feb 9, 2012 at 9:17 PM MDT

Story Updated: Feb 9, 2012 at 9:17 PM MDT

Sletten Construction has been working on the T D & H Engineering office building since August and have been going strong ever since with unusually favorable weather conditions. They say the warm weather has them down right spoiled.

Jobsite Foreman, Jake Nauarro, explains, “we're out here with light coats on and no gloves”. It's a pretty big change for these guys. This time of year they are usually in heavy coveralls and heavy coats.

With only one real cold spell, they are right on schedule if not a little ahead of their July deadline. Yet, winter or no winter, their construction projects still go on. Nauarro says, “we have schedule to meet so I mean no matter what the weather is we work out in it”.

The main advantage to the mild weather is their clothes are thirty pounds lighter, making it more comfortable and safer. Nauarro explains, “you move around lot better, you go up and down ladders”.

Construction isn't the only business loving this mild winter. Street Supervisor with Great Falls Public Works, Jim Turnbow, remembers, “last year at this time we probably used 100% of the overtime budget and the winter was half over. This year we probably utilized 25%”.

Great Falls Public Works is saving money here and there this year compared to the extra spending from last year. Turnbow says, “we were getting so low on the sanding material we had to go to a vendor and purchase additional sand”. Last year was the very first time they had to purchase more sanding material.

Turnbow recalls, “it was a banner year for potholes last year”. Normally they use thirty tons of material for potholes. Last year they bought sixty tons and then had to buy sixty more, using four times as much material to fix potholes. However potholes this year are few and far between and the snow plows have hardly hit the streets. Turnbow explains, “when you're running 5 or six snowplows 24 hours a day and then not having to do that obviously carries a definite fuel savings”.

The mild winter may be just what they needed to balance the books. Turnbow says, “with what we did spend last year and what we saved this year, I think its going to be a push”.

Yet, don't count your chickens before they hatch. Turnbow reminds, “it is only the middle of February, so we've got February, March and you know we always get sometimes some heavy wet ones in March and into April”.

We may not be in the clear yet. Even if a real winter never shows up, spring is prime season for pot holes, so we'll just have to wait and see

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