New Haven Over Budget $1.2M on Snow Clearing After Historic Blizzard
New Haven's response to Blizzard Calvin and a January winter storm left the city $1.2 million over its snow-clearing budget, Chief Administrative Officer Justin McCarthy told the Board of Alders on March 6. The overruns came from overtime, salt, sand, weather monitoring, and contractor fees across both storms, McCarthy said during a three-hour public workshop at City Hall held by the Board of Alders City Services and Environmental Policy Committee.
Blizzard Calvin struck on February 22, 2026, dropping 16.1 inches of snow on New Haven. Mayor Justin Elicker declared a state of emergency ahead of the storm and announced a citywide parking ban on February 21 to facilitate plowing operations. New Haven Public Schools closed during the storm, and the city opened warming centers for residents.
The city's snow budget had already been exceeded before Blizzard Calvin arrived, following an earlier storm on January 25. A two-week cold snap between storms created what officials described as hardened, rock-hard ice that required hundreds of truckloads of snow removal and compounded costs for the February cleanup.
Contractors and Enforcement in New Haven
Contractor performance was a central concern at the March 6 workshop. Paul Whyte, Chief of School Operations for New Haven Public Schools, said approximately 10 to 15 percent of contracted snow removal crews underperformed during the storm, causing delays in clearing campuses and bus routes.
Enforcement actions were issued across both storms: the January storm resulted in 268 warnings and 32 citations, while the February blizzard produced 149 warnings and 78 citations. Violations included illegal snow dumping onto streets or neighboring properties and failure to shovel sidewalks in front of homes and businesses.
McCarthy said the city's enforcement posture favors education over punishment. "One of the things we like to do is education. We don't want to punish," he said, while noting that repeated violations required more serious enforcement measures.
Haley Simpson, the new Director of the Department of Transportation, Traffic and Parking, said her department would review ticketing protocols for future parking bans. Deputy Chief Administrative Officer Rebecca Bombero told the committee that enforcing citywide parking bans would require roughly 42 additional staff — a figure that underscores the practical challenges of full compliance during major storms.