RICHMOND, Va. -- Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe discussed statewide road conditions and storm clean-up five days after one of Virginia’s snowiest winter storms. During his monthly Ask the Governor radio show, McAuliffe said the January 22 - 23 snowstorm was also one of the Commonwealth’s costliest storms ever.
"The budget was about $202 million for the storm and we could top that," Governor McAuliffe said. "Right now, we estimate $175 to $200 million [spent.] We don't know exactly.”
He said the state predicted the storm could be either the most expensive or second most expensive storm for VDOT.
"We have $1.6 billion in our maintenance account at VDOT, so we are going to spend whatever it takes to keep the road open. We got to keep safe and keep the economy moving," he said.
The governor did his best to evade questions about the job the City of Richmond did clearing roads. McAuliffe, who is from the snowy city of Syracuse, New York, now resides in at the Governor's Mansion in Richmond.
"I'm not responsible for [the road conditions in Richmond]," Governor McAuliffe said when asked to respond to Richmonders' criticism about road conditions. "I'm not one of those folks who criticizes people when other people are responsible for it. The city of Richmond is responsible for their plowing."
