New Haven Exceeds $665K Snow Budget as Blizzard Calvin Costs Mount

New Haven Spent $680,000 on Snow Removal Before Blizzard Calvin's Final Bill

New Haven had already exceeded its annual $665,000 snow removal budget before Blizzard Calvin struck in late February, and city officials say they still do not know the final price tag for the season's most punishing storm.

By Feb. 27, the city had spent approximately $680,000 on snow removal operations for the 2025-26 winter season, surpassing the full-year budget by at least $15,000, according to WFSB. That figure covers overtime for city crews, salt and materials, and private contractors hired for road clearing and snow hauling — but does not include the costs from Blizzard Calvin itself, which were still being calculated at the time.

"It's going to be a lot of money," Mayor Justin Elicker said. "We have not even added up yet what this recent storm will cost us."

Elicker was scheduled to unveil his proposed fiscal budget for the next fiscal year later that week, though it was unclear whether the snow removal budget line would increase.

Blizzard Calvin Dumps 16 Inches on New Haven

The storm, which prompted Governor Ned Lamont to declare a state of emergency on Feb. 22, dumped approximately 16.1 inches of snow on New Haven with wind gusts reaching up to 60 mph. Lamont called it the worst storm Connecticut had seen since 2013 and prohibited all commercial vehicles from traveling on limited-access highways statewide beginning at 5 p.m. that day.

Across Connecticut, snow totals from Blizzard Calvin reached as high as 30.8 inches in North Stonington. In New Haven County, Madison reported 22 inches and Branford reported 19 inches.

New Haven enacted a citywide parking ban at noon on Sunday, Feb. 22, prohibiting parking on odd-numbered streets in residential areas and on both sides of marked snow-emergency routes and downtown streets. The ban remained in effect until 6 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 25.

During the ban enforcement, 208 vehicles were towed and an additional 228 received citations for violations. By the end of the full Blizzard Calvin cleanup, roughly 350 cars had been towed citywide.

New Haven Schools Closed Three Consecutive Days

New Haven Public Schools closed for three consecutive days — Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday — as crews worked to clear roads and school facilities. Public school parking lots were designated as temporary parking locations for residents during the closure period, according to the New Haven Independent.

The closures added to a growing number of snow days for the district this winter, raising the possibility of an extended school calendar later in the year.

City Deployed 35 Trucks Across 235 Miles of Roads

Public works crews and contractors worked around the clock to clear the city's 235 miles of roads following the storm. About 35 trucks were deployed, with additional private contractors brought in to assist with plowing and snow hauling.

The city used 25 parking lots and parks, including a site on Marginal Drive off Route 34, as snow dump locations. Piles at these sites grew continuously as crews relocated snow from streets and key facilities.

The fire department responded to 44 calls for service during the storm, though no major medical emergencies or significant crashes were reported. Power outages primarily affected the Westville neighborhood, where fallen trees brought down power lines on Whittier Road and Kohary Drive, resulting in 113 reported outages.

Warming Centers Sheltered Nearly 200 Residents

During the storm, 189 people utilized city warming centers and hotel accommodations on Sunday night. Five city-operated warming centers had a combined capacity of 204 people, with 161 sheltered at those locations and another 28 placed in hotels.

Lamont activated Connecticut's Severe Cold Weather Protocol beginning at noon on Sunday, Feb. 22, ahead of dangerously low temperatures following the snowfall.

New Haven's Snow Budget Does Not Carry Over Year to Year

New Haven's snow removal budget does not allow surplus funds to carry over from one fiscal year to the next. Elicker noted that while the city spent just over $400,000 last year — well under the $665,000 budget — those surplus funds were already reallocated to cover other unexpected expenses elsewhere in the budget.

"A lot of people might think, 'Oh, you can use the snow budget from last year for this year,'" Elicker said. "This year, we've gone way over our budget."

The city must now backfill the snow removal deficit from other surplus accounts. With the final costs from Blizzard Calvin still unknown, the total overage for the 2025-26 winter season could be substantially higher than the $15,000 gap recorded as of Feb. 27.

Got a tip? Reach out to us at tips@thequinnipiacpost.com.