The $600K Snow Budget That Became a $6 Million Problem
About this episode
The episode discusses a Massachusetts town's snow budget that escalated from $600,000 to $6 million, exploring the implications for city budgets and operations.
A Massachusetts town budgeted $600,000 for snow and ended up spending $6 million clearing its streets. Norm Van Eeden Petersman, Daniel Herriges, and Gracen Johnson trace the links between winter operations, stormwater, supply chains, labor, and land use in cities facing serious snow. Starting with Boston’s overrun numbers, they widen the lens to Ottawa’s snow storage sites and Minneapolis’ potholes, asking what happens when seasonal extremes collide with tight city budgets. ADDITIONAL SHOW NOTES "‘That comes with a price tag’: How snow removal is busting town budgets" by Kate Selig, Bostonglobe.com (March 2026) "The Cost of an Extra Foot" by Chuck Marohn "Transactions of Decline" by Chuck Marohn Downzone: "Cost-Based Social Rental Housing in Europe" (Web PDF) The Ink (Substack) You'll Pay For This! (Site) Criminal Broads (Site) Norm Van Eeden Petersman (LinkedIn) Daniel Herriges (LinkedIn) Gracen Johnson (LinkedIn) Theme Music by Kemet the Phantom. This podcast is made possible by Strong Towns members. Click here to learn more about membership.
More episodes of Upzoned
- New York’s Bracket And The Politics Of Maintenance
- Unpacking The Myth That Growth Pays For Growth
- What LA’s Trash Problem Reveals About Its Streets
- Why a Legal Home Addition Sparked Outrage in Fairfax County
- Zoning Reform Is Only Step 1 in Fighting the Housing Crisis
- What Happens When Official Decisions Clash With Community Traditions?
Explore listener stats, chart rankings, contacts and more on the Upzoned podcast page.